Filippi’s Pizza Grotto
114 W Grand Ave, Escondido, CA, 92025
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto Menu
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Address :
114 W Grand Ave
Escondido, CA, 92025 - Phone (760) 747-2650
- Website https://www.realcheesepizza.com/web/locations/E.html/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Jeffrey H.
The food here is still awesome. However, the service here as deteriorated greatly. This isn't the first time I had bad service here, but I will share my experience. Tonight, we arrived around 7:20 p.m. We got our drinks and bread shortly after, as well as placed our order. Perfect. We finished our bread pretty quickly after receiving it. Never got another basket. Our food didn't come out until 8:40, whereas the table behind us arrived AFTER we did, and got their food way before us. In fact, they left before we even got our food. The waitress didn't even apologize for bringing us our food nearly an hour and a half later. I'm really disappointed with the service here. The food is okay but it's not worth it to eat here. I think I will be ordering take out from now on.
(3)Jesseca H.
Only 3 stars this time. Service was lacking and since when do they stop putting dressing on the antipasto?
(3)BILL K.
We have been dining at Filippi's for 39 years. We have always been completely satisfied. Food is delicious and very reasonably priced. I have tried everything on the menu at some point in time and have always noted my meal. When ever any family or friends are visiting the San Diego area we alway take them to Filippi's for lunch or dinner. The results are always the same Filippi's has another satisfied customer.
(5)Ed D.
Love this pizza! If you do not like very Cheesy Pizza, you may not care for this kind of Pizza. I know many people who don't like super cheesy pizza and they are good people. I however, love this type of pizza. Pretty cheap wine!
(4)Chandler M.
Delicious pizza and nice servers. What else could you want? Oh and right in the heart of downtown Escondido another plus. Two thumbs up filippis
(5)Tony W.
This place has been here forever I remember coming here a lot as a kid. Seems that every year I come back the clientele just keeps on declining. However the area is not up to par anymore so it's just okay but not the same 20 or 30 years ago
(3)Bridget C.
Some of the cheesiest pizza I've ever eaten in my life. As I kept saying while we were eating, it's like you ordered melted cheese with a size of bread. Prices are reasonable and the food is great, but the place seemed a little dingy. Granted, it was 9 pm on a Sunday, but it would have been nice if the waitress wasn't sweeping up before our order even arrived.
(4)Lorraine T.
I love this pizza. The best but... When they wont take your "Old" 20.00 bill there has got to be something wrong I sent my kids & husband with cash and Fillippis refuse to take my cash. They kids had no ATM or Debit card with them and refused to give them the pizza The kids asked if they had eaten there first and then gave them the old bill to pay what would have been done. Fillippi would staple that old bill on a piece of paper and make you write your name on it. but refused to do it that way with pick ups Protocol before customer service
(1)Jen E.
I have been a long time fan of Filippi's pizza and have probably been to every location and I have to say the pizza at this one is probably consistantly one of the best (2nd to maybe only the PB location). They also make great pastas. The service however is the slowest and not the sharpest. Every single time I've had a different waitress and every time there's some kind of scatterbrained mistake or confusion afoot. Last time we ordered and our waitress totally forgot about us for 40 minutes with the excuse, "Oh, I usually don't work Fridays" -- um, okay, that has everything to do with what? But the pizza is really good and I like the location. It's the perfect place to eat before a show at Patio Playhouse & there is hardly ever a long wait for a table.
(4)Nick P.
This location has been here for a long time. They always have great food when I visit, but the interior hasn't changed since the day it opened. Its very dark inside which gives a weird feel. Overall, if you like Italian food, and you don't mind the dinner crowds, its a must to try.
(4)Mike M.
Just ate here for the first time after being to the original location in little Italy about 6 times and although it is a little different in recipes, it is absolutely delicious. The 12.5" Fit For a King pizza is MORE than enough for 2 people with gooey cheese and toppings baked underneath with a crispy bottom side to give it a nice crunch. The taste is great, the service is great and I will be coming back.
(5)Anthony B.
Okay soo unless u are from out of town or legitimately have had bad service here I don't want to here any complaining about this restaurant. This place is notorious for BIG pizzas and a lot of cheese so I am tired of comments saying "too much cheese" because you can definitely order light cheese. I have been going here since I was playing little league and know tons of people who are regulars here. If you don't like this place then order a fuckin Costco pizza cuz the employees don't have time for your shit. That is all I have to say. I love this place.
(5)Kimberly D.
I probably ate a pound of cheese here last night and it was oh so good! It was the last night of our vacation and I wanted pizza. Looked up the reviews on Filippi's and gave it a shot. So glad that we did. We started off with the garlic bread which was just okay. It had sort of an odd marina type of garlic spread. I wasn't too into it. That was probably a good thing because I ate way too much pizza after the fact. Cheese, cheese and more cheese! We ordered a pepperoni with onion and green peppers medium pizza. The medium is probably big enough for two to three people. The pizza is saucy, cheesy and the toppings are just right. Somehow the crust stays crispy even with all that cheese on top. Great pizza, hands down. I want more! I will definitely visit a Filippi's when in the San Diego area again. When we got our bill it was hand written. Our waitress had miscalculated the tax and overcharged us $3.00. Check your bill, just to make sure it's right especially since they are hand written. Overall great pizza, good experience!
(4)Alicia C.
Been going here for 25 years. Celebrated my sister graduate night here and my little brother too. My choice is cheese pizza w black olives.
(5)Randy C.
What they do well: Bread. Salad. Mainly because I really like the bread. :) The pizza will depend on how you like your pizza. If you like a New York thin crust with some veggies on it... no. This place is not for you. What they serve is a chewy crust with tons of cheese and olive oil on it. If you like cheese like this, you will love the pizza. It is old school. Otherwise, the entire place is old school... which is not a bad thing. Place gets slammed and service can be spotty. Inside looks a bit shabby and out of the 70s. And what they do not do well at all... and I am not marking them down for this, just a warning to others.. is Vegan pizza. Without the cheese, the pizza is a bit lost and tasteless. Needs more olive oil to make up for it. But then this is not a vegan restaurant is it? It is a cheese restaurant.
(3)Jeff S.
I have been here on several occasions and it has always been a great experience. if you go on a busy night expect to wait the place gets busy, the hostess does her best to get everyone in. The wait staff is good at managing a lot of people on a busy night( you may have to stop them if you need something as they are working hard and busy) if your used to a pizza from a chain store then your going to find the pizza's here unusual they are heavy with cheese home style pizza's which need to be cut with a knife and fork we always get one for take home they are the best!! I like the Lasagna and ravioli I will definitely be back!!
(5)Brittney F.
Great place for families , gets. Everyone full satified with homie Italian food. The inside is pretty cute too love the bottles on the ceiling.
(4)Angie A.
You cannot find better than this!!!! We were so bummed when Bruno's closed down last year but this place is even better! The portions are generous, atmosphere is low key, pricing is great. Meatball pizza! Nuff said. Bread is fresh baked, dinner salad is huge.
(5)Paco C.
Damn good pizza, but not 5 star worthy restaurant. I stumbled upon this gem by accident on a Sunday morning looking for something quick and I found the only parking spot available in town right in front. Walked in and was greeted by smiles and the warm smell of Italian spices....ahh I had to rate at 4 stars because the servers had no idea what caprese was and would not make it for me. Business tip ***if you have the ingredients, make the dish for your customers.*** We couldn't finish our food because the portions are huge. Had leftover pizza for days: it was so good reheated. Beware the ridiculous wait times at dinner time, especially the little Italy location.
(4)Richard L.
RUDE!!!!walked out after being treated rudely by the hostess. We have never been treated in that manner.
(1)Paul C.
I love this place everyone is very nice and the food is wonderful. I advise anyone in the area to try this pizza. Great family friendly restaurant.
(5)Angelina G.
Love coming here. Best pizza I have ever had. Soup is also delicious. I always have a good time with the family here. Great atmosphere and friendly staff keep me coming back.
(5)m b.
Ok before anything, filippi's food rocks!! Though everytime my family and I go, we fucken pray we dont get this one waitress who always seems like she's got a stick up her ass... i swear she provides the worst customer service ever... her attitude sucks, she tries to be a smart -ass and she completely ignored my cousins fiance when it came to taking his order. The other time she brought us a pitcher that was half way used by the other table, my cousin actually saw this, to our table when we had asked her for a pitcher!!!! A full pitcher... i've called twice to complain, and the bitch is still there.... so now what we do is just take-out, all because of this forty year old four eyed cunt!!!
(3)Angela C.
The marinara sauce (meatless) was very good. The pasta choices were p[retty average, the PIZZA, though- oh that looked amazing, smelled phenomenal and I'm pretty sure they make them in authentic brick ovens. Real classic Italian style crust. I had the antipasta salad as well, which was just average. it had slami and mortadella and typical romaine and salad greens. The house dressing was nice and light, oil vinegar and just a little seasoning. My drink was the house Rosé, it was quite sweet, I couldn't finish my half carafe but I really enjoyed it.
(3)Kat M.
I've tried giving this place several chances but I find the food to be just okay, nothing great. I find their pizzas have too much cheese (and I love cheese) and their lasagna was simply disgusting. I'd choose Olive Garden over this place if you are looking for Italian Food in Escondido (and I really don't like Olive Garden). Besides awful tasting food, I find this place to be very dirty. I stopped giving Filippi's chances when I discovered how dirty this place truly is. I work really really close to Filippi's and we were getting a ton of HUGE very well fed cockroaches. Ewww!! We don't store any food in our office so we knew the cockroaches were coming from someplace where they were being well fed and my guess it's Filippi's. We have done everything we can to prevent cockroaches from sneaking into our office and thankfully I have not seen a single one in our office but I still do see them outside. Also, in the time I have worked near Filippi's I have seen ambulances rolling people out of Fillippi's at least 4 times...not because anyone died but perhaps due to heart or some other complication. I'm simply too disgusted and afraid to ever eat here again. Do yourself a favor a stay clear of this place.
(1)Shasta B.
The first time I came to this restaurant was when I was 10, and now coming back as a young adult, it's still amazing! I remembered my experience here from childhood, so that has to tell you something. It is very busy, so it took about 10 minutes for them to seat the 2 of us, and we came in around 6:30. But the atmosphere is authentic and intimate. The seating area is not super spacey, but not too small, and you could tell that the restaurant gets many patrons by the state of their table cloths (they had a few tears, but nothing extreme) and the table was clean and wiped off before we sat down, so that was nice. The service was average, and the food came at a reasonable time, but it would have been worth an hour wait. The large pizza is huge and hearty, and we were filled up very quickly. They definitely do not skimp on the toppings or cheese, and the pizza is made the Italian way, with cheese on top of the other toppings. If it was any hotter, I would have had to eat it with a fork and knife! Really delicious food. I wish I lived closer so I could come more often. :)
(4)Felipe R.
Heard it was a "must-try" place to eat but I was underwhelmed. Don't believe the hype. First thing I noticed was how dark it was inside, it could be livened up a bit. The portions are big but the food, namely the pizza, was mediocre. The experience was certainly nothing to rave about. I will give them another try with some other dishes and hope the result is better. There are much better pizza places around North County.
(3)Deborah D.
BEST PIZZA EVER!! I absolutely love this place. Great owners, and even greater food!
(5)terri s.
If you like huge portions this is the place to go -if you like gourmet food do not visit. They start you with a huge salad and a bowl of soup and garlic bread which were all very good. The portions are ridiculously huge - which takes away from the taste. Don't get me wrong the food was ok but it is too much - I got a chicken parmigiana dinner that the portion size was really not for one but maybe 3 people. There was so much mozzarella on it you could not taste chicken - but when I found the chicken it was very dry as they have to overcook it to melt all the cheese. My husband got manicotti that was a portion for 2 people. Again too much mozzarella on the pasta. If you like sweet tomato sauce this is the place for you - it was too sweet for our taste. Good service - quick and the waitress could not be nicer. It was a one time place for us but I can see how this place is perfect for a family meal.
(3)Veronica H.
I really wanted to love this place after all the great things I've heard. I think its overpriced and mediocre, at best. -no leg room for my husband and I at the booth -I love cheese, but the amount that was on our pepperoni pizza seriously made me feel like I was chewing on taffy or bubble gum. - the garlic bread was soggy and not appetizing at all. - if you drink lots of soda, opt for the pitcher.. you only get one refill included in your price for soda. I'd say the best part of our meal was the server, just because of how friendly she is. Sorry to all the Filippi-lovers... I just don't see the big deal :-/
(2)Jonny Q.
Been coming here since I was a kid, never has the food not been absolutely amazing and perfect, service is outstanding too!!! Best spot to eat in all north county!
(5)Cyndi L.
I've tried this place on two separate occasions. The first was in October 2011, and we ordered a pepperoni pizza with half cheese (since they put A LOT of cheese), and a salad. It was warm and ready for pickup to take home, and as far as taste...eh, nothing special. It was EXTREMELY greasy, and there's hardly any sauce. I suppose if you're a huge cheese fan, you'll favor this place more than others. The second occasion was in January 2012. My boyfriend and I went in to dine on a Friday evening, and it was a 15-20 minute wait. The front area is VERY crowded from people waiting to be seated, picking up meals, paying for orders, etc... So we walked around for a bit, returned 15 minutes later, and were seated towards the back. Our server was nice, took good care of us. We ordered a sausage, bell pepper, and onion pizza, medium sized, and it was definitely enough food. But again, extremely greasy and very cheesy. My boyfriend likes his cheese heavy, where I'm more of a sauce person, so I just grinned and tolerated it. This place really nickel and dimes you. They charged for EVERYTHING. You get one refill with a 3 dollar cup of soda, so we just got water. Extra sauce (which is practically adding sauce since there's virtually none on the pizza to begin with) is a dollar extra. Onions are a dollar extra. Pizza's start at around $14, but aren't worth the price. While the place was busy, we were never rushed. Very loud, but mostly adults, a few families, and not many loud children. The bathrooms are small, only 2 stalls, and very messy. There was a person cleaning up the handicapped stall when I went in, but there was toilet paper all over the place, and not the most freshest of smells. Overall, I'm not really a fan, but it doesn't kill me to dine here once every few months when in town on holiday.
(2)Clayton B.
Another place I've been going to since I was a kid. I've always loved this place. Especially on the Cruisin Grand Friday nights. I love the pizza (obviously). Their pizza is amazing and the best part is the cheese is just nice and gooey. I love it! I don't know how they do it but that cheese is just perfect and the pie is huge. It can get a bit crowded, especially during Cruisin Grand so you may have to wait a little. Overall though, some damn good pizza! :)
(5)Ryan B.
The antipasto salad is still my fav! We had that and the veggie pizza. The pizza came with too much cheese for our liking, we learned later that we should've asked for easy cheese. The crust and bread were the highlight of the meal for sure!
(3)Aracely A.
Supper good and if u love cheese this is the place for you!
(5)dawn w.
Ate here at this location and can honestly say the food wasn't good here. I came home with everything i purchased. The store in Temecula still has the best food. No consistency from store/store.
(3)Robin L.
I grew up with Filippi's, and my mom would probably shoot me for delivering anything less than 5 stars. (Sorry mom.) I guess I'm just the type of girl who likes some good crust with her toppings - not just a piece of soggy bread underneath a pound of cheese. The line out the door to this place is not surprising; in a city now full of "thin crust" style pizzas, people are probably grateful for the heavyness of a Filippi's pizza. Though I'm still wondering when they're going to start making us sign a liability form before ordering. But don't get me wrong - they still have very fresh ingredients and know how to do toppings. But that's like giving a 500 lb man a fresh shave and a new shirt - you're still missing the basics of a really quality product.
(3)Jose R.
Great food and serve! The lunch specials are out of this world. Good amount of food for lunch specials.
(5)Christina A.
For $30 we had a 1/2 carafe of their house chianti (great, by the way), large salad, and pizza. Everything was amazing. You walk thru the Italian deli to get to restaurant which is cool. Service was great and we will go back for sure!!!!
(5)Mike W.
Filippi's is the pinnacle of pizza; these purveyors of pie play to win with plentiful portions of cheese piled high on every pizza. I have horrible acid reflux when it comes to marinara, so I go with the "Lillian's White Pizza" that's made with a garlic & oil base for sauce. If it ain't white it ain't right (when it comes to pizza, you bigot!). I would recommend that anybody purposefully pop in and purchase a pie. P.
(5)Daryl F.
Kacey or whoever the blonde waitress is in Escondido gave an EXTREMELY unpleasant service tonight. After we requested our check to be brought after our food was delivered because we had to catch a movie, and Filippi's is usually slow on checks, hence asking for it early. She simply rolled her eyes and didn't bring it. After we asked for boxes we also asked for the check, again, and this time got a condescending "YEAH..." When she brought our boxes, she proceded to toss the boxes on our table, on top of a pizza tray no less and said, "You can box them since you think you own everything..." EXCUSE ME?? I would have suggested to my friends that we don't pay for the dinner at all and just walk out but the food was not the problem. The service was!
(2)Marcy F.
Good food if you're craving Italian that'll really clog your arteries but absolutely hate the service. Local eatery that my family and I have been coming to forever and I've never been able to get a seat in a reasonable amount of time or even a decent estimate on the wait. Most recent experience: Tried to make a reservation but they said they don't take reservations but a party of 8 should take about 20 minutes. Got to the restaurant early and was told 30 minutes or less. Waited for 50 minutes. Asked why there were so many empty tables and they said they were reserved for a party set to arrive in 45 minutes! We could have been seated, ordered, ate, paid and given them time to clean up during that 1.5+ hour or could have made our own reservation but too bad management is too incompetent to assign someone capable to take reservations and seat people. I admit my frustration is mainly out of hunger but crappy service none the less. Opting for take out if I ever go back.
(2)Cori W.
Decent enough pizza but the amount of cheese is ridiculous. Chewing on some slices is like eating mozzarella flavored bubble gum. The salad was good, as was their ranch dressing. The bread was probably my favorite item, it was crispy but soft on the inside. Too bad they don't offer olive oil and herbs as dipping instead of just butter. Location is family friendly, given its location in the suburbs, but lacks diversity.
(2)alex v.
Cheese Cheese Christ!! Half of the time when biting down on a slice I wouldnt even get to the bread!! It was soooo cheesy but delicious at the same time. Our waitress was nice, came through every once in a while so that was nice, the place is big so Im sure it never gets full, prices where fair, overall a good place to go to. One itty bitty complaint - The glasses they give when you order a pitcher of beer are super tiny. CHHHHHHEEESSSSEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Laurie W.
It breaks my heart to write this but I have no choice. I have been going to one of the family owned Pizzeria's for as long as I can remember and have always loved it. But no more. We made the mistake of going on a Cruisin Grand Friday. 45 minutes for a table, 50 minutes for a pizza, the pizza was underdone and disgusting. The excuse everyone gave us over and over was "what do you expect, it's Cruisin Grand". We complained to the manager, Michelle, who is one of the family. We received the same response. "Come back another time and I am sure you will get better food". All of this is bad enough but to add insult to injury. My 12 year old daughter left her brand new hat on the table when we left. She realized a couple of minutes later and went back for it. We were told by every employee we spoke to that they never saw the hat. The diners at the table next to ours informed us that the employees picked up the hat when they cleaned our table. My husband had had enough, he walked into the kitchen where he saw my daughters hat sitting on a shelf. He grabbed the hat, announced loudly that he had "found it" and left. UNCARING & THEIVING. DeFiliipis family , our family is done with yours.
(1)Jessica T.
I've been to nearly all of the Fillipi's in SD, and I have to say this is my favorite one. The staff here is awesome, they have a tasty house chianti, and their veggie pizza never disappoints!
(5)A L.
I've been enjoying the eggplant parmesean sandwiches here for the past 14 years, whenever I've been in the area. Today was no exception. The service was excellent and the food was outstanding. My friend had the lasagne with meatballs...and loved it! My sandwich was so big, that as usual, I had to bring some home for later. Can't wait to nibble on it tomorrow! Thanks again for a consistently awesome experience!
(5)Mariah S.
Went here because of the great reviews and I do not get it. I think the pizza is terrible. And no it is not anywhere near authentic Italian (yes I've been to multiple areas of italy). I would say if you love you a good 4 inches (thick) of salty mozzarella on homemade style flat dough then this place is for you. It reminded me of a large bagel bite. Besides Pepperoni pizza we got eggplant Parmesan with meat pasta sauce. Water logged spaghetti and mediocre pasta sauce to say the least. Too dramatic to say disgusting but I don't know why so many people like it! Spent just under $40 so not worth it. though I must say it is better than Chuck e cheese pizza
(1)Chrissie O.
I love Filippi's. The only other Filippi's i've been to was downtown san diego and I prefer the one in Escondido. The pizza is my favorite. There is a ton of cheese on each slice. The cheese is delicious and I don't know what they use and I am really bad at describing but it isn't super salty like some other more franchised pizza places but it compliments everything. There is just so much cheese and toppings that it is easier just to eat it with a fork and knife. I could barely see because the dimmed lights. The only way I could see is with the light coming from the doors. Friendly servers and good atmosphere. hands down my favorite pizza place.
(5)Alycia P.
Wish I could give No Stars... showed up at 4pm with some family and friends arriving in different groups (4 groups, 2 tables) and ordered in these groups as we got there... Service was the Worst and it was not even busy yet (which is why we went early), Never got my drink refilled, never got another table visit, food was horrible (Hawaiian pizza was a solid blob of cheese with hardly any ham pineapple or sauce on a undercooked dough ball, ate One Piece & hardly made it home to the toilet), they put us all on one check and charged us $27 tip Automatically, after half the group was gone and had already tipped), Never Returning to this Place Again... Worst Pizza EVER, including Dominoes
(1)rite r.
We ordered the Linguine Clam Sauce White and Filippi's Family Combo. The serving was generous. The food was bad. The linguine was under seasoned and the clam tasted like it was from a can that was left sitting for a while. The sauce on the combo was overwhelming. Service was slow, took an hour to get our food. Lesson Learned: Don't get their pasta! We may never go back again but if we do, we'll get pizza. And that's what they are known for.
(2)Andy H.
Wow heartattack central. 3.5 stars. The layer of cheese on this thing alone looks like it can hurt you bad. My friend and I came here hoping to pick up a slice and go. Unfortunately they don't offer pizza by the slice. Too bad because we were craving for pizza just not so much of it. Nonetheless, my friend had cravings and needed to satisfy his lust for this joint. Now, I, being the lactose intolerant one, was NOT looking forward to eating from here. Anyone who is lactose intolerant would know why. Good thing I had my lactaid chewables. We ordered the sausage and pepperoni. The waitress was kind enough to bring us a jug of water for our obscenely large table for 2. Certain areas were closed for the night so we were stuck sitting at a table for at least 10 people. The pizza came piping hot. Slices were large but the overall medium pizza seemed a little small to me. [Maybe thats just me?] I got full off one slice! The crust was crunchy but SUPER OILY! Italian sausage and pepperoni tasted ordinary. While I had managed to get through the night without feeling sick [yay], i thought to myself, man do gross after eating here. Service was okay, a bit on the brash side, but not too bad. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here but would recommend trying it at least once... ON AN EMPTY STOMACH! Side note: they seemed really opened to customizing a pizza to your liking when I asked if I could get fried eggplant on a pizza. lol.
(4)Rachel L.
I've been here plenty of times for their pizza. Although unless I want to suffer from a grease induced heart attack, I eat it once every 2-3 months. Decided to pop in for lunch today with my boyfriend and bought a super torpedo sandwich and a chicken parmigiana sandwich. My boyfriend said his torpedo was simply "meh" with way too much shredded lettuce. My chicken and its crust was lost in the mounds of cheese. I felt like I was eating a grilled mozzarella cheese sandwich. The only reason I'm giving it two stars is because the waitress was really nice and made the experience slightly better.
(2)Guada T.
Went in for lunch after visiting the Escondido Street Faire. I had not been in there in years. The inside of the restaurant looks like it needs to be visited by the Food Network show, Restaurant: Impossible. Definitely needs a make over. The grape decorations on the wall behind our booth had a thick coat of dust on them. I'm not sure what's up with the tacky bottles hanging from the ceiling with people's sharpie writings on them. The side salad was some iceberg lettuce and dressing dumped on top of it. Very unattractive. The pizza was also so-so. The bread was delicious. The employees were talking about each other in front of the customers. It was disappointing.
(2)Chelsea F.
pizza is pretty good but don't get the garlic bread, it's not worth it, didn't taste any garlic :( cheese ravioli was ok, marinara was good. they have stone beers on tap
(3)Jackie H.
Love this place. I go here for lunch often. Just a warning though, they do put a lot of cheese on everything. Fine with me since I am a cheese fan. My favorite is the sausage, pepperoni and cheese pizza and the meatball sandwich. Everyone has always been nice, no complaints on customer service. Great place, you should definitely try it!
(4)Christine F.
The fettuccine is delicious and flavorful. The pizza is just grease and cheese. It is very filling, so don't order as much as you might somewhere else. This location is super crowded on Friday nights (except Winter) due to the car shows.
(3)Eli D.
Awful right from the beginning - we were told we had a half hour to wait, instead it was an hour because they forgot about us and seated many groups who arrived after us. Then we were sat at a table that was too small and our waitress was just awful. She messed up our order and gave us a massive plate full of butter but forgot the bread. When the food finally arrived I already wanted to leave. And unfortunately the pizza was really bad too - if you could call it pizza. I call it a giant slab of bread with a heart-attack-inducing mountain of cheese on top, and a sad bit of generic tomato sauce in between. Final result - avoid this place at all costs.
(1)Dave K.
The Super Torpedo was amazing. Fresh bread (I'm all about the bread) that I suspect was baked right there. Could it have ended up as pizza dough on another day? Maybe, but today it met its demise as a vessel for cured meat. This place has that old school feel; like "Louis' Italian American Restaurant in the Bronx," where Michael Corleone took out Sollozzo and Captain McKluskey after getting the handgun that was duct taped to the toilet. Red and white checkerboard tablecloths and all, I bet this place has a lot of regulars. It makes a great Super Torpedo but I suspect everything elso is good too. I'll be back. Auf.
(4)Tina L.
I've been to Italy, New York and all over, and this is the BEST pizza I have ever put in my mouth! I crave it! Everything is fresh and the cheese... ohh the cheese.. just YUMMM... go there. And the staff is awesome!
(5)Sara N.
Went here on a Saturday night, the place was busy but not so much that it interfered with us getting a table, good service, and food fast. Perfect! Prices are great - $5.95 for a pitcher of Coors or Bud Light, $12 for a big 'ol pizza, $9 for a heaping mound of spaghetti, ravioli, and lasagna, plus $3 extra for a soup, salad, and garlic bread. Everything was gigantic, and they love their cheese! My husband dove right in, but I took about half the cheese off before eating. The lasagna was nice and garlic-y, and the ravioli tasted like it was lamb or veal, so there were some satisfying flavors in there for sure. Not the best I've ever had, but damn close considering the price and portions. It's one of the few places in Escondido open past 8pm (what's up with that?!?!), so we'll likely be visiting this place every month or two. Plus, we left with enough for at least two more meals for each of us.
(4)Tamber G.
Great service! Great food! Great prices!
(5)Ryan S.
I put this restaurant under the title "Your mouth writing checks your ass can't cash" Beware. You and your colon will pay the price.
(2)Genny H.
Pepperoni Pizza= A HEART ATTACK ON A PLATE!! But hey, we only live once.
(5)Micki R.
I've eaten here a number of times. This restaurant has a causal charming ambiance. Their service was amazing from the person who brings you water & place settings to our waitress who thought of everything! We had food start arriving at our table in no time, drinks, salad & fresh bread, then came spaghetti and pizza, all was fabulous and enough food for 4 people, so I have left overs for lunch today. We put our name in and they said there'd be a 25 minute wait, but It was really about 10 minutes or less, so don't stray to far after you put your name in. This restaurant is worth waiting for!
(4)Carrie B.
Great place to either take a business lunch or a family outing. Start with their antipasto salad, but don't fill up on their delicious bread and butter basket because you'll need room for the huge portions! My favorite is definitely the lasagna. I get the 1/2 portion. The sauce has a deep flavor and the lasagna has a beautiful layer of ricotta all topped with mozzarella. Pizzas are generous, but be careful the cheese doesn't slide off when you serve it. Get a pitcher of soda and let the kids go play pinball while you wait. Get there especially early if it's a Friday night with Cruisin' Grand- the classic car cruising event held annually July thru Sept.!
(4)Alex R.
the greasiest, gooeyest, messiest pizza in all of Escondido. Just the way I like it! Twenty bucks for a large pizza may seem like a lot but you really do get what you pay for. I get full off a single slice. They're not skimpy at all on the cheese and toppings. My only complaint is that they don't sell pizza by the slice so I'm always obligated to buy the whole damn thing. And I'm not the kind of person that likes eating leftover pizza. So I gotta choose between refrigerating it or facing a massive heartburn. And the heartburn always wins....
(4)Don W.
This is my favorite Italian restaurant in Escondido. I can always depend on the food quality being consistent and very tasty. The portions are quite ample and steaming when delivered to the table. The staff is very friendly but it can be a little hectic at peak dinner hours. It is definitely a family restaurant and you don't have to worry about a group being too noisy. The food items are priced well and I have never once had a problem with an order.
(4)John C.
Antipasto & Meatball sandwich. YUM!!
(5)Chelsea L.
My husband and I went here for the first time earlier this week and this place is great. The reviews don't lie though, they do go heavy on the cheese, so if that's not what you like make sure to order it with less. Our pizza was delicious and the waiter was extremely friendly. We were going to a movie afterward and my husband was talking to him about movies we've seen lately and we ended up talking for about 5 minutes. We went on a Monday so it wasn't that busy but I've seen it when I've been down there for Cruisin Grand and it's always packed.
(5)Felicia G.
OK maybe its because I'm pregnant or maybe just because I love PIZZA! Who knows but when we ate here on Sunday it was the best damn meal I have had in along long time! My parents treat for my brothers 30th birthday and I pigged out! I had 3 small plates on anti-pasta salad and two pieces of pepperoni pizza two very big pieces of pepperoni pizza plus snacked on some of that soft warm bread minus the butter!! Oh it was good and the only meal I had all day long not good for the nutrition that day but hey I couldn't think of eating anything else! I did bring home couple of bites of my 2nd pizza I like to save my crusts for the end!! YUM!! Free food and it was the bomb I need some more of it and soon!!! BTW why is it a 30th b-day party the reason I dine here???? I need to get out more.....................lol
(5)Jerry C.
I read the bad reviews and I am shocked that some people didn't like it. They must have been in a bad mood, picky eater that already made up their mind about this place, or they got a lousy server because FILIPPIS rules all that is pizza!!!!! There other stuff is OK but I go for the pizza. Actually, the meatball sub is really good.
(5)Krista S.
This is my favorite restaurant, bar none! My family's been coming here since the 1960's, and i remember it from my childhood in the 70's. Nothing has changed here since then, and i just love that. Now for the food...Nowhere has eggplant parmigian like this place, NOWHERE. I am VERY reluctant to eat Italian food anywhere else, but i have, and never as satisfied as i am with Filippi's. The pizza is fantabulous, too. Any other dishes i can't comment on, as i've never had anything else. The only down side is the garlic bread isn't very garlicky (there's marinara sauce on it), and the eggplant comes with spaghetti, but at some of the other Filippi locations, you can choose what you want to accompany the eggplant. Also, the only place that had better pizza was Papachino's in Solana Beach, and that's only because they had EGGPLANT pizza. Papachino's is long gone :( , but i would still HIGHLY RECOMMEND Filippi's over all other Italian restaurants. Oh, and the lasagna is meatless if ordered with marinara sauce.
(5)Ken P.
This was my favorite lunch spot when I worked in Escondido. Today is the first time I have eaten here in 15 years. I ordered the lasagna
(4)Jessica F.
A delicious choice for lunch at work. Such a convenient location, and always very easy to order over the phone. Portions are big, food is amazing and inexpensive. Love this place :)... note from my coworker: "don't forget to tip the chef on the way out" - Artie
(5)Amy N.
I had never been to Filipi's before and had heard a lot about it. It's in Escondido's downtown area and has a lot of popularity during weekend nights and when Crusin' Grand is going on. I have no real complaints, I never that negative of a person. The service was good and friendly, especially for how busy it was. We got our food in a timely manner and everything. The food for me was a little too rich, there we gobs of cheese in my lasagna, definitely too much for my taste. I've asked others and I think the amount of cheese is what they are known for and what people actually love. It wasn't for me though. Too much cheese is too rich and a little too fattening. But that of course is my personal preference. The service was great and the atmosphere was good.
(3)Sara Y.
The Friday lunch crew was going to the same old places, week after week. I wanted to shake it up a bit, so I suggested Filippi's. I you have lived in San Diego for a long period of time, chances are you have eaten here. If you have not, trust me...it does not disappoint. Granted, it is not the most mind-blowing eye-talian food on the planet, but it is cheap and for paying so little, you get high quality ingredients. Good sauce, reeeeeeally nice bread (soft on the inside and crusty on the outside) , and good meats. The antipasti salad is delish. Come hungry or be prepared to take home the leftovers!
(4)Oscar B.
Seriously not exaggerating. Best pizza I've ever had! I've had pizza at three of their stores and they are very consistent. Portions are huge. Family of 5, large will do! Highly recommend it.
(5)Kelly G.
Wasn't impressed front the get go.... Server was polite but really not very accommodating to our needs. The pizza had so much cheese on it the thin crust underneath couldn't get cooked and the cheese wasn't even melted all the way... The meatballs were fine...softball size really was baseball size. This place is popular to someone for a reason just not sure why...sophisticated palates beware.
(2)Janet B.
Filippi's Pizza is a really popular place, and everyone says that "if you love cheese you'll love Filippi's" so, being a cheese pizza lover, I decided to break down and try it. Unfortunately, it was atrocious! The pepperoni pizza was more like a mountain of goopey cheese featuring pepperoni smothered underneath cheese and with MORE cheese under the pepperoni. I like cheese, I really do, but it was sickening how much cheese was on this pizza. It literally began to make me feel nauseous after only a half a slice. Instead, I swapped with my boyfriend, who had the lasagna, but it was almost the SAME exact thing but with a pool of grease at the bottom. I took two bites of lasagna, which was even cheesier than the pizza (being that it had mozzarella AND ricotta), and just gave up on the whole experience. I felt like my experience would have been a 2 out of 5, because I feel like the people at Filippi's have good intentions and nice service, but just use so much cheese it's ruins what could have been a nice experience. However, my boyfriend actually enjoyed the food, despite admitting that it was considerably cheesy. He didn't eat much because of how rich and cheesy it all was, but he said that it didn't make him queasy, like it did to me. Since he enjoyed it, I decided to give it a 3/5 I'm surprised that so many people enjoy this food as much as some of my friends do. I really do like cheese, but this place uses SO much it makes me sick. I guess if you have an iron stomach and LOVE, LOVE cheese (to the point where you literally pull cheese out of the fridge and just eat a pound right then and there) then I guess you'll like it. However, if you are only a casual cheese fan, BEWARE!
(3)Bobby O.
Too much cheese with a soggy crust. I ordered the "Fit for a King" pizza, assuming that it was their specialty and I would get their best pizza. I could not believe how much cheese they put on it. I do like cheese, but they put on so much, it was not even melted completely through. The ingredients inside were barely done. The crust was soggy and bland. I'm not sure why people rave about this place. I for one, am not a fan.
(2)Matt S.
This is the kind of pizza that uncultured people from Montana think is "genuine Eye-talian". That is quite fitting, as Escondido is a little bit Montana, a little bit Mexico and all bad taste. After getting boned by Satan and the Valley View Casino, we had to resort to finding sustenance in Escondido at 10pm on a Thursday. Since we never had the misfortune of finding ourselves in the #4 dullest city in CA, we utilized my bud's Blackberry to hit up Yelp and find something decent to eat. Now I know that only morons and fat girls know how to use the internet in Escondido because there is no way in hell this place deserved 4 stars. At the time we were pretty happy to find a restaurant open so late -- little did we know that Filippi's is the eatery equivalent of a mozzarella enema. In an idiotic move, we ordered the pizza. Stupid us. Filippi's believes that pizza should be a fat lump of half-cooked dough with an entire 5 pound wheel of cheese melted on top. In yet another dumb move, we ordered pepperoni on our pizza. How retarded of us. This may have been the only place to ever bury the pepperoni between the cheese and crust. Toppings belong on top. That is why they are called "toppings". It's inherent in the name. Get it right, idiots. It wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't have to grab an effing jack hammer and pick axe to find any sign of pork goodness on the other side of the cheese. Wait. I said "goodness'". Disregard that, as I must have been hallucinating. There was absolutely nothing good with the pizza. In fact, three starving 24 year old men actually declined eating out of disgust. It was our own Gandhi-esque protest. Anyway, to make a long story even longer, this place gave three grown men (who eat like crap for sport) the worst cases of constipated diarrhea known to man. We didn't even know that was a legitimate ailment until we ate here. Thanks Filippi's! Your contribution to modern medicine is greatly appreciated! It's also fair to note that you can equivalate their garlic bread to a brick with Kraft Parm sprinkled on top. As far as ambiance is concerned, I could only imagine the funk growing on the awesome plastic tarps that draped the tables, but alas, the catacomb-like darkness really masked the filthy, deteriorated interior. This can be viewed as a plus for those who think ignorance is bliss. However, if you look hard enough, you could see the penicillin growing on your very own tabletop. Bottom line -- Billy Beer enthusiasts and dugout mom's who want to punish their losing baseball teams would love this establishment. Gordon Ramsay would have spent the next two days on the can.
(1)David E.
If Jesus tossed dough, he'd cook for this place! I love thick, soft crust, tons of cheese pizza. To this day this is still my favorite pizza place. When I was a little kid my parents would take me here and I watch the guy in the window toss the dough in the air. Their dinner salad is very basic. Just lettuce and some tomatoes... but it is so fresh and tasty. Serious. Their meatball pizza is ambrosia.
(5)Kelly R.
Ehhhh this place is just weird. The pizza was literally so covered in cheese and grease that I didn't even finish one piece!!! This is simply unheard of in my world because I am definitely an eater! I went with a large group for a friends birthday and we ordered pizzas and salad to share along with numerous pitchers of beer. The salad: actually surprisingly yummy. HUGE portions with lots of meat, cheese, and veggies. Decent start to the meal. The beer: their hefeweizen was horrendous. Literally tasted like sweet bread. And the cups were tiny! Made me feel like the Hulk holding my baby plastic cup o beer. AWFUL. I definitely still drank a pitcher though because frankly I can't let beer go to waste (aka I'm a lush). The pizza: I only tasted the veggie one. But you literally can't even see the veggies there is so much cheese. I love cheese but it overwhelmed the pizza and you couldn't even pick up a slice without everything sliding all over the place. Not good. Overall, skip this place.
(2)T B.
I used to live 5 minutes from there and now I live in las Vegas for 6 years now and I still gt cravings for this place! Everytime I visit it's my first stop. The food hasn't changed since my family has been going there.
(5)Jaclyn P.
Dude don't go here. The food is good but not worth the worst service on the planet. Our server Casey was rude to us while we were waiting, roller her eyes at us consistently and was just a total witch. We weren't even rude to her. In fact we were extra polite because we knew it was busy but that doesn't give her rudeness an excuse. Never coming back here! First time in my life I didn't leave a tip. It was THAT bad!
(1)Kristine P.
My first official Yelp review and unfortunately it had to be a bad one. I recently took a trip to Filippi's during the Cruisin' Grand event this past Friday and was SHOCKED by the poor customer service that my friends and I received. My friends have been loyal customers there for some time and despite the long waits, the food and service was decent. Then came Casey, an extremely impatient, cranky, and rude waitress (blond hair, blue eyes) that has completely changed my view on customer service at Filippi's. It started when we first came in and asked about our table being ready (after already waiting over an hour) and her snarky response was uncalled for. We were a completely polite party but even during our service there, any time we would ask for napkins or a refill, she rolled her eyes. And when we asked for the check early to make it to a movie (and since we know it takes a while to get the check) she rolled her eyes again and still proceeded to take 20 min to get the check to us. And lastly, the absolute worst service I have EVER witnessed, is when she brought over our boxes. She threw them on top of the table on top of our pizza no less and said "Here, you can box these yourselves since you think you own everything!" I was beyond livid. Please do not patronize this waitress. Bad day or not, the customers come first.
(1)Dustin R.
This is the best place ever. Best pizza I have ever had and I love the people that work here. Dianna and Mark always remember my name too. That is awesome.
(5)Sarah V.
Pretty good pizza but they put way too much cheese. The pizza is tasty If you cut some if it off you will avoid the stomach ache
(3)Yuki J.
Nice neighborhood pizzalia with some pasta dishes . Very healthy portion, pretty relaxed good for family gatherling.
(3)Mike L.
I first ate her back in 1986 on a Saturday evening. The place was packed-full of customers back then and it's still just as packed today. I found my recent experience there just as delightful as my first - good drink and a tasty pizza that made me feel stuffed as Hell after just two slices. In looking at other reviews on Yelp it seems you either see this establishment as a friendly neighborhood pizzeria that serves cheese-smothered pizza or a disheveled, grimy joint that serves greasy pizza. Most certainly the key decider of that love it or hate it perspective is the main product - the pizza and the amount of cheese that goes on that pizza. Yes, the pizza has cheese on top of cheese with another layer of cheese on top to keep the two cheese layers below in place. Are you a cheese lover? Come on in! But if you like your pizza with only a single layer of cheese so you can scarf down four to five slices in one sitting then go elsewhere.
(4)Keith N.
OMF. Pizza, spaghetti, salad and bread-sticks, how do you go wrong? Especially when you add enough cheese to plug up a laxative abuser, it's uber delicious.
(5)Vanessa M.
Lesson learned of the evening: don't order extra cheese or sauce. Reason being is that if there are too many toppings, one will not taste the yummy goodness of the crust! Everything about this place is amazing; the ambiance, service, and food. A-plus. I really want to give this place five stars, but it's a chain and I have to keep my standards with my reviews. Ha.
(4)Julie M.
Ugh, took a group of people here last night on a recommendation and it was AWFUL. Crowded, noisey - granted we all were there for the same reason - the Friday night car show. We ordered four types of pizza and not one was good. I understand why they put so much cheese on their pizza to hide the tastelessness of it. Really...why do they put so much cheese on it? It's ridiculous, it's hard to eat and when you take a slice, all of the cheese and toppings dump onto the pan. Please, please, please do not waste your time going to this establishment. If you want to attend the car show, you'll have a better meal at home...
(1)paul G.
I READ the reviews from fellow yelpers and everyone said this place is heart attack on a plate...they were not lieing...Pizza was amazing but at the same time every slice I had knocked off three weeks of my life...but hey we only live once...
(4)Richard S.
I am scared to think that there are people who would give this place anything higher than two stars. The garlic bread looked like someone went to safeway and heated it up in a microwave. But that is nothing compared the diarrhea-inducing monstrosity that was discharged from the kitchen onto my plate. There is no reason to consume this much cheese unless you are Jabba the Hutt. I actually finished one slice before calling it quits because I felt like vomiting. I would not have touched this 'pizza' if I had not been starving. I thought Little Casaer's was the worst pizza I had ever had until I came here. Save yourself a night on the toilet and avoid this 'restaurant' at all costs.
(1)Leah B.
All I can say is WOW! I have a new place go-to for pizza!! I ordered the Hawaiian style 9-inch pizza and SOO YUMMY!! The crust is just right. Some people would say that it's thick, but it's not. I'd say it's inbetween thin and thick crust. Because it does have a thickness to it, but not the doughy, Chicago-style kind. It's thinner and has a bit more crunch to it. LOVE! And the CHEESE! They must put crack in that cheese, because it's the best I've ever tasted on pizza... EVER. They do lay on the cheese thick, but it's just perfect for me. I'm only giving them 4-stars because I love their pizza, but could do without their pasta.
(4)Julianna C.
I had pizza from here once, because it was free, and was not impressed. The crust was either too brittle or dry and even with an assortment of toppings, it somehow managed to taste bland. I may have high expectations already when it comes to pizza/Italian food but I've honestly tasted better frozen ones from Trader Joe's.
(2)Guissepe C.
I have eaten at this and all of the Filippi's many times. I love them all, but this by far is the best for the pizza. There is no other pizza in San Diego County better than the Escondido Filippi's Pizza Grotto. Excellent pasta, Torpedo, what ever you want you cannot go wrong with any Filippi's Pizza Grotto best in San Diego by far and not gourmet pretentious Italian food, just great Italian food at a good price!
(5)Sara T.
From what everyone else is saying, I wish I had the pizza! The first dishes I had here were the antipasto salad and the lasagna. The antipasto salad was pasta with deli cuts and cheese and olives. Pretty good I must say. And the lasagna was pretty delicious. Both dishes came with an order of italian bread. The only thing I can say that was truly amazing about this place is the service. Great great service and waitresses. They are fast and friendly :)
(4)Alison S.
i'm actually not sure if they take reservations!! haha so if they don't.......just wait! it will be worth it!
(5)Jeanette L.
Great food... great portions... great price...
(4)Jonathan M.
Great pizza! Neat ambiance. Good for groups or out during Cruisin Grand. Wouldn't consider it a place to bring a date, but on the casual side, all good things :)
(4)Tawni C.
FANTASTIC restaurant! Great service, great food, great ambiance.... When the weather spoiled our backyard barbecue baby shower- we chose to have it here and that was such a great decision! Everyone had a great time, the staff was SO accommodating and they made sure everything went smoothly. I love this place- and we'll definitely keep coming back!
(5)Steve D.
This is the best pizza I have ever tasted. However, they have, on rare occasions, burned the crust (hence, only 4 stars). The antipasto salads are very good too.
(4)Ron T.
I have been a fan of Fillipi's since 1968. Through tasting many of locations I concluded that India Street still was the Premiere restaurant and would drive there from anywhere in SD county to India street no matter how far to dine there. Lo and behold, I have found a gem in an unforseen place! The Escondido Fillipis can match all the dishes that India street has except the Seafood pasta which they do not offer. I always order the "THIN CRUST" pizza which many do not know they affer. It is truly superb, plenty of cheese and meat and no doughy crust to fight to realize the exeptional taste. The anti pasta salad in both Escondido and SD India St are a must. The Escondido is a ouch different but excellent in it's own right. Such a welcome addition to my list of dining musts and since I live in North County now a quicker fix for my hunger. I do still make that drive to India street 50% of the time though. Bon Appetit !
(4)Suzy B.
This place gets two stars because the eggplant Parmesan saved them. The salad was fresh but the dressing was horrible. Kraft is not a good dressing to all restaurants! The minestrone soup was out of a Campbell's can. The bread was fresh but not very exciting. Like I said it was saved by the eggplant. Amazing stuff but I didn't even touch or take home my spaghetti with meat sauce that was my side dish. I'll try this place again to see if the pizza is good. There has got to be some reason why they have three different locations throughout the county. I do give it up to the friendliness I felt just walking in. Maybe they can get my order straight the first time, next time.
(2)Everardo G.
Excellent pizza!!! I got the meat lover's and was very pleased!
(5)Man Is H A.
way too much cheese on the pizza and enough oil on the pizza to lube a car. We all felt ill after eating just 1 slice. more than 1/2 the pizza was left. Looked like the garlic bread was either cut in half by "man hands" from Seinfeld or they need a sharper knife. It was also cold as was the marinara dipping sauce. Bright spot was the service, she was spot on. .
(2)Kelly M.
Love the Mira Mesa location but Escondido was a let down - NO BAR, champagne or Caesar salads! The pizza was all mushy in the middle even though I ordered thin, extra crispy crust. The bread looked good but it was not as good as the garlic bread at MM. It took forever to get a table. Once a table was finally available it was in the upper area with really bad lighting. No interest in ever going there again!
(1)Kim M.
soooo love the lasagna, meatballs and pizza!!! when I think Italian, Fill's is for me... sooooo good... bread...eh... not so great (may be warmer...and a little crispier?) but the portions make up for it... now the service...that's another story... sometimes I wonder if the waitress are happy... I have consistantly gotten bad attitude when I'm there... guess it's worth it though...pizza swimming in cheese.... nothing better than bringing home leftovers! parking is a bear though...so bring your patience...
(5)Tina A.
Awesome place, me and my boyfriend have been going here since we were kids, and we will continue the legacy with ours. The foods great and the beers awesome, the staff if a little overworked but we love it. They need to be on the network TV show Diners Drive Ins and Dives.
(5)Chad E.
Say Cheese! Filippi's Pizza Grotto has excellent pizza especially if you like it really cheesy. Daily specials are a good deals and their lasagna is respectable.
(4)Linda H.
It would be tough to find anything wrong with this restaurant and it's obvious from the crowds here most of the time - many of them families. That is because this is great home-cooked food. Everything on the menu is great. Eggplant parmigiana is my favorite Italian food and Filippi's has one of the best eggplant parmigiana subs that I have ever had. The dinner is also amazing. Both are too large to eat in one setting, but the food is just as good the next day. Don't pass up on having one of their meatballs or their lasagna dinners. Pizza is great also.They are huge and delicious. The service is always friendly and outstanding. Every employee in here is friendly and courteous. Even tough their portions are huge it would nice once in awhile to have something sweet to finish off your meal. Right now their only dessert is cheesecake. It is no surprise that this is one of the few restaurants in Escondido that continues to thrive. Great food, great service at a reasonable price - seems it should be easy enough for other restaurants to figure out.
(5)RJ A.
Blech. I have eaten here 3 times, and had the pizza via catering twice. Blech. Blech. Blech.
(1)Shelby Z.
this place is so bomb. the antipasto salad is delicious, the bread is so fresh, any entree we've ever ordered has never been a disappointment. heads up, the pizza has a stupid amount of cheese on it, no matter which one you order. also, the wine they have here sucks, but if you buy a bottle of Chianti, they let you draw on it & they'll hang your artwork from the ceiling! it's a family restaurant, so be prepared for kids too. will always be my favorite place to get lunch in North County.
(4)Tony H.
I love pizza and Fillipi's pizza is no different. It is by far one some of the best pizza I've ever had. I've been to both the Temecula and Escondido location and i was greatly disappointed at the service at the Escondido location. The waitress seemed like she was in a hurry to leave work so she barley payed attention to us. We were never handed napkins and our drinks were never refilled. We had to find her to even ask for napkins and when we did she gave us this mean look and she threw ,YES THREW, napkins at us. For the rest of the night the waitress was nowhere to be found so we figured she left for the night. 30 minutes after finishing our food our check still hasn't arrived so we decided to go to the counter and ask for. There to my amazement the waitress is still there and just talking to her coworkers. She obviously was so busy that should could hardly refill our drinks or even give us napkins . Im hoping the owners realize how much of a slacker that lady was and fire her. It is a great restaurant with great food and atmosphere that has a lot of potential.
(1)KT Z.
After going down to Little Italy in San Diego, my husband and I (who just moved to CA 8 months ago from Chicago) have fallen head over heels in love with the best pizza in ALL OF CA!!! Or of all we've tried. Being nearby a Filippi's, we had to make the extra trek to have some more pizza. It wasn't quite the same as the San Diego location, don't know why. We got the supreme and it was LOADED with veggies (plus for me, minus for my hubs). It was also really wet/soggy? The crust wasn't soggy, but we noticed a little pool of condensation after removing a slice from the platter. ?? Who knows. The best part? THE LEFTOVERS. WAYYYYY better than what we ate in. And they must've weighed 10 lbs!!! I think our bill was $28, but it was 4 meals. One piece is an entire meal. Oh and the crushed red pepper flakes are the BEST (esp for pizza topping)!!!
(4)Richard H.
This is where I buy pizza for take-out. It's fresh, hot, filling and very good. Fair priced and we love the pizza. I will keep buying their very yummy pizza until further notice.
(4)Aaron F.
If you're ever in the North County San Diego area, be sure to check out this hole in the wall/hidden gem. It's located in an isolated area with adequate parking. The food is indeed delicious but the biggest attraction is the HUGE portions they serve for a low price (that is when you compare it too Olive Garden ^_^). If I remember right, they either give you breadsticks or french bread to begin with. The wait for your dish is not too long or not too short. I'm a big Spaghetti man so I get that every time and to be honest, out of all the times I've been here (easily more than 20) I've never completely finished my food, in fact I always take half of what they served me home. You'll leave feeling satisfied and maybe even a bit drowsy lol. Be sure to check it out.
(5)Ashley N.
I love Filippi's! For one thing, they gives you tons of food when you order a dinner. For another thing, the pizza is awesome and insanely cheesy. I recently gave up meat and ordered the eggplant Parmesan, it was even better than the chicken Parmesan! I, personally, also love the ambiance at night. It is just that classic italian food place.
(4)Marcus F.
When we come to the Escondido Filippi's they just leave a pitcher of soda and extra bread on the table. We usually order a bubbly cheese pizza with pepperoni or mushroom and a Antipasto salad.. Usually ends up being too much. In the end Filippi's is a great casual place that keeps bringing you back when you're starving. The pizza here is loaded with gooey cheese so bring scissors or maybe even gardening sheers. Dinners come with soup, garlic bread and a HUGE pile of food. - It's great for large groups as many of the tables are long. - They do a brisk togo business. - Very busy during special events like cruising grand.
(4)Amy L.
Food was good but service was crap. Arcade machines don't accept coins.... COOL! It ate ours and a few others money, we complained and the RUDE waitresses basically didn't care... i said you should put a sign up and let customers know, they responded with "they aren't our machines." Idc who's they are, they are in YOUR establishment... put a freaking sign up and hire some classy people who know what GOOD customer service is. Will be eating take out from you from now on.
(2)Crystal M.
Holy Pizza!!! Mm I'm drooling thinking about that White Pizza. I've never devoured pizza so quickly. And wanted more. That cheese is no joke, delicious. They did not scrimp or cut any corners with that! Enough on my beloved white pizza. The salad.. Anti pasta yummy, cheese olives for days & the complimentary bread, so yummy! I bet their sandwiches are amazing! This place is great. When there's a line or wait, usually that means they have good food, and here that is the truth!!!
(5)Kenny V.
After eating here, other pizzerias just don't seem the same. This place seats a decent amount of people, but on a Friday night you better expect a wait. Even when seated, we waited some time for service, refills on drinks, and food. If you come here, you better order the pizza. Soo much cheese, it's almost like double the cheese. Both the pepperoni and white pizza were delicious. Big slices with so much cheese on top. I only managed to scarf down 4 slices, and I can eat a lot. Service is slow and understaffed, so it was a lot of waving down random waiters to get certain things. If you like big slices, really f'ing cheesy pizza, and long waits stop on by!
(4)Christine D.
The cheesiest pizza you'll have in your life. Literally so cheesy that I feel like one slice of pizza at Filippi's has the equivalent to the amount of cheese on an entire pizza from one of the usual fast food pizza shops. So if you're into cheese then you'll love Filippi's! We ordered a large vegetarian pizza, a side of meatballs, and a side salad. The pizza was cheesy but other than that it just tasted ok? There was nothing too special about the flavor in my opinion and the green peppers looked overcooked with that greenish-brown color....it was quite unappetizing? The customers at the table next to us did order a thin crust pizza and perhaps next time i'll have to try that option. My sister in law had the side salad and she seemed a bit disappointed by the fact that there was so much water from the lettuce sitting at the bottom of her plate that it made her salad soggy although she did say that she enjoyed the flavor of their Italian dressing. Is it just me or do their meatballs taste like Chef Boyardee? I mean it was good but for some reason as I was eating this I had a flashback to my childhood eating Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs. I've been to only one other Filippi's location and comparing the two... the service and food quality at this location was sub par. I was really disappointed!
(2)Michael F.
Good as ever!111111111111111111111111111111111122222122222Â22222222222222223333334444544444555654443334333222Â11111111111
(5)Mae Joy B.
This is a nice, very friendly, affordable restaurant. Great for family and/or friends. The portions are HUGE! My husband (who has a huge appetite) can't even finish the half order of lasagna. Everything tastes great. Seriously huge portions. The sausage & pepperoni pizza...omg. I think they put the toppings first, then the cheese. Well, when I bit into it, there were like, 6 slices of pepperoni stacked on top of each other! When they serve the half order of lasagna with meat sauce, you can't even see the lasagna because all you see is the meat sauce that it's smothered in...same goes for the manicotti. Antipasto salad is delish. The smallest size serves two. I love the dressing...I ask for extra dressing on the side. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because sometimes it felt a little heavy for me. Don't get me wrong...I'm most definitely coming back here....IT IS GOOD. Just a little heavy. If you're counting calories, FORGET IT. You'll definitely exceed it here! Haha! You'll find that it's worth it, though!
(4)Meia C.
To be honest, to me, it's decent pizza. Always SUPER busy during Cruisin' Grand so if you're looking for fast food and stellar service during that time, you're at the wrong place. Have had the pizza, the spaghetti/meatballs and the salad. Not too sure about the Italian dressing, and the salad mix comes with lettuce that is wayyyy too shredded (hard to get a good bite). Spaghetti was ok if you're looking for that casual pizzeria style pasta (you know what I'm talkin' about).
(3)Samantha R.
Love love love Filippi's! You can't go wrong ordering the Lasagna & Meatball dinner and sharing it with someone. For around $12 you get a bowl of soup, salad, break and a large portion of lasagna and meatball. Delish! We usually even have leftovers too! The only reason why I didn't give 5 stars is because the ground is pretty dirty in there. There was food all underneath the table on the carpet where we were sitting, so I tried my best to keep my feel resting on the legs of the tables. Besides that, the food is awesome!
(4)Matthew B.
I have been going to this place for as long as long as I can remember. My parents started to bring me here when I was a kid, and the food is always good. This is not your traditional pizza, so if you are expecting a Round Table or Pizza Hut type pizza, think again. The pizza is thick with the cheese as the last topping. The service is always great, and the antipasto is delicious. Whenever I come home to San Diego I make a special trip to come here, and I am never dissipated. The reason I am giving it 4 stars is that the pizza this time was a little on the cool side. They need to correct that, and we would have 5 stars without a doubt.
(4)Paul S.
SERIOUSLY Best Pizza ever! Especially for your money! Quality is great and no need to ask for extra toppings. No patches of missing cheese or toppings. Ive been to many pizza joints where I've paid more and the toppings were weak and the pizza tasted horrible. This pizza is great and of great quality. You can see where their history comes from.
(5)Radek B.
The word of the day is dense. This is a solid pizza. It is AWESOME! Very flavorful. Setting tooth. Takes a lot of chewing. Great experience. I'll be coming back.
(4)Sherri F.
I came in on a Friday with my husband. It was Cruzin Grand, so I expected it to be busy, and take a little while to get our food. What I did not expect was to wait for 1 hour and 15 minutes for a sandwich and a side salad, which we were going to split. By the time we finally received our food we had to get it packaged to go. We had somewhere to be. The waitress did not once say she was sorry for the extremely long wait. I even told her I was disappointed that we could not eat our sandwich fresh since it took so long. She was extremely rude, and did not seem to give a hoot. We never received refills on our drinks. We actually never saw our waitress again after she dropped our drinks off until we finally received our meal. On our way out to pay we also told the girl at the register that we were upset and why. She said oh. I love the food here, but honestly I am in no hurry to come back.
(1)Adilene M.
Very very cheesy I really like cheesy so it was good.. I got the veggies and it was loaded . its good
(5)Adam S.
Waited 15 minutes no one even came to assist us . After going to the front asking for service the food came out finally . Never once was my soda refilled. After we finished we waited and waited and had to go to the front and ask for the ticket so we could pay . After we paid I was told we had paid the wrong bill. Seriously 430 its the start of dinner rush who is managing this place ? Everyone is nice enough but not competent to assist or follow up. Isn't this the basis of the customer service experience. Not to mention $14 pizza with barely any product on it slathered in more cheese than a fondue pot. The next test is to see if I am charged twice I will not be back .
(2)Sonja P.
Out to dinner tonight with the girls. We were seated at the table near the restrooms. We had been sitting there since about 6 ish, almost done with our dinner when some women put her hand on the back of my chair and said very loudly to me that you have been here an hour and I know you will be leaving soon but you are not supposed to be sitting here you are blocking the walkway and this is a fire hazard. This is where they sat us blocking the walkway!! This lady who did not even have the tact and mannerism to speak to me or our table in a professional manner, And did not introduce herself to us or speak to us as adults but instead was rude and overbearing. For all of us who have been coming to this restaurant since our kids were little was a real embarrassment. There seems as if there is no management in the evening time and when asked to speak to a manager a man named Robert came out from the kitchen and said he was the manager. When we explained what took place he immediately took the defensive side. When the lady came to the counter she denied any wrong doing. When asked who she was she said I am the sister. My question is who is the sister. No apologies were given just out right rudeness. We had a party of 5 and we were never asked how our food was or is there anything else we can get you. Where is the professionalism and the common courtesy of people in this restaurant.
(1)Cathy G.
I love Filippi's! I've never been disappointed with anything I've ordered. I usually get a fit for a king pizza and antipasto salad and bread with family or friends. If you love cheese, this is the pizza for you. Filippi's is good food, good service and a good price.
(5)Sergio M.
This place is awesome great pizza and lasagna and honestly everything here is awesome. Been coming year for year and there food just simply seems to get better every time. If ur looking for outstanding pizza cone here highly recommended!
(5)Madison P.
Had the pizza, manicotti with garlic toast and a side salad... Everything was amazing except for the salad... It was kind of sad how a handful of bagged iceberg lettuce was overfilled onto a little plate. When I stuck my fork into it, half of it fell onto the table and... iceberg lettuce does a salad not make!! Besides the cheap salad, everything else was delicioso....the pizza had so much cheese and momma loves cheese!!? You have to try fillipis for sure
(4)Alex P.
Worst pizza I've ever seen or tasted in my life. The sauce and crust are low quality, the cheese is piled on, allowing it to congeal more quickly and kill the texture. It basically pulls the toppings off of the pizza if you pick up a slice, even if you brought your high-power titanium buzzsaw to cut it. I was genuinely shocked that a person could hire chefs that could make something that shitty, consider it worthy to sell to people in a charming neighborhood setting, and charge 17 dollars for it. I thought ISIS was bad, but at least they believe in what they're doing and they're good at it. Yes, I'm saying that this restaurant has fewer redeeming qualities than ISIS. I watched the video where they set a guy on fire, and I can confirm that this pizza is more offensive. Enter this Grotto at your own risk, and reap your folly.
(1)Kim F.
My favorite guilty pleasure!! If you like cheese, this will be your favorite pizza EVER! The Italian salad dressing is the best, great family restaurant. Try every location, they're all great! My favorite is Little Italy, but just because of the deli, the food is consistent at them all. Enjoy!
(5)Walter T.
Love Filippis I have been coming to Filippis since I was in high school, I have always enjoyed their food. Want a great tip? When I'm running late I call ahead for the lasagna and meatball dinner it comes with a salad and for $13.00 it feeds myself and my wife, they always have it bagged and ready to go and it just doesn't get any easier. DINNER FOR WALT!
(5)Amy N.
The only reason they are even receiving 2 stars is due to their food. I love this place but I hate this location. We had a family dinner here the night before our wedding. Party of 10 which shouldn't be a problem for a place like this. We arrived early to put our name down since we did have a large party and reservations are not accepted. We arrived and found out there wouldn't be a wait so once our entire party arrived we were seated. The waitress came and took our orders and everything seemed great. Unfortunately they took a turn for the worst. Our waitress never came back for refills, we never received bread, and after waiting about an hour and a half without seeing our waitress I decided to speak to the manager. The manager was not much help. She didn't seem to care although she did listen to my concerns. She said she would be right over to take care of us. After another 15 minutes with nothing she came over, made some terrible excuse, and left. Again still no refills and no food. Finally our waitress came back asked if we wanted refills and finally brought them. Still no food. When the food did come we were missing one pizza. Again it was a mission to find her. Finally we received our missing pizza and we ate without seeing our waitress until she brought the bill. Places who automatically add tip due to the large party should ensure you receive an attentive waitress. I will never return to this location and have told everyone I know to never visit this location. Every time my husband and I visit San Diego we make sure to eat at the Little Italy location and this experience put a bad taste in my mouth for this restaurant.
(2)Jess M.
Was here for Father's Day dinner tonight and the food was nothing less than great as always but my family and I were on our way out to the car in the parking lot and their cook/busboy comes out with my mom's phone she left on our table to give back to us so I just wanted to give a huge THANK YOU for that! :)
(5)Phoebe C.
Decided to stop by Filippi's on my inaugural trip to Cruisin' Grand! How have I lived in North County SD for a whole year and never heard of Cruisin' Grand until now? I digress. This was also my first time at this Filippi's, let alone any Filippi's! 45 minutes wait time on a late Friday evening for a party of 2. Boy, is this place packed! Ordered Fit For A King - thought it was unique in that all the toppings were on top of the marinara but under the cheesy layer of cheese. Definitely fits the bill for cheat day. A medium pizza is pricey, but can be split by two with enough leftovers for two. The pizza itself tastes better in the moment, still good just not as good reheated. Tip: Word on the street is that Tasty Pizza also in Esco is not only cheaper, but has tastier pizza. Will have to get back to you on my final verdict.
(3)Jason K.
The food was a-ok tasty fine. I liked the old school Italian family dining decor. What really impressed me though was the service. We shot in 15 minutes before closing and they accommodated us nicely and were very attentive without being pushy.
(4)Justin H.
Really good. Best I have had in Escondido. If you love cheese this pizza is for you!!
(4)Dolores O.
I Love this place!!!! I love the pizza, spaghetti with meatballs and their sandwuiches. We always come when my parents arrive from Mexico because my dad (who used to be an employee) loves to eat here. The only downside is the lack of beer selections, but overall the best place to come and eat... Yummmy!!!
(5)Rosa M.
Food snobs need not apply. Okay, so I'm mad at myself for never giving this place a chance before because of the way this place looks. It is much bigger than it appears and has a nice ambiance inside. I do agree with other yelpers when they say they really like to add a lot of cheese on your meals but it's nothing I can't scrape off my plate so no biggie there. Is it the best tasting italian food ever? Of course not! But it is very tasty regardless. Their house italian dressing is so tasty and the portions are enormous so you know you are getting your money's worth. I definitely plan on returning soon!
(4)Alexander L.
Grandmas cooking! Excellent! Large portions quality food, tasty AF and they'll call your name out on the megaphone if waiting outside for your takeout! Awesome in every aspect! Cute girls working too ;)P! Meatballs and half and half orders are king worthy! Don't overlook this gem!
(5)Erica M.
Yum! Tried the works pizza. Pepperoni sausage mozzarella and mushrooms. Knowing that they put a lots of cheese on their pizza I actually ordered easy on the cheese and I love cheese. It was perfect. Antipasto salad is good. The homemade dressing is delicious. It's a mixture of Italian and marinara. Definitely a filling experience. Go hungry the portions are huge.
(4)Jill S.
Good location, cruising grand is there on Friday nights (car show during the summer). Can get very busy on those nights. Good food, reasonable prices, family-friendly, and nice service. Very cozy feeling.
(4)Tori O.
They offer a gluten free crust. I suggest you call ahead to make sure they have it. Pizza is fresh and the cheese and sauce is so tasty. It's a small dimly lit restaurant buying like it.
(4)Crystal U.
Love this place! Great food great price on the family combo! So delicious and good service! Will keep coming back!
(5)v n.
I had spaghetti and my wife has the pizza. The spaghetti was fine. I really don't understand the positive reviews of the pizza. It is really just a lump of cheese. The crust is soggy from the grease oozing out of the cheese blob. I guess there are people that like this, but I'm not sure why. Nothing good about spices, crust etc
(3)Tony M.
Ignore the uncultured Yelper's negative reviews for this place, obviously their taste buds are damaged and they have no taste when it comes to pizza. I've had true New York style Pizza at Ramo's on Long Island, I've had Midwest Pizza at Brusco's in Kansas City, I've had Lou Malnatti's deep dish in Chicago, this place is right there with those places. Service has been fine for me but I am sure it can be hit or miss but who cares when you can get some of the best pizza in the world. I can't even find a decent pizza joint where I live now in the OC, I actually make the drive when the craving hits. I grew up in the area, I know this joint, it's been around forever and I have been a patron since the 70's. I know everyone loves how cheesy their pizza is, the cheese is great but I've always loved their sauce, it's not too sweet not too savory, it's perfect along with a perfectly cooked crust. My favorite combo is the Canadian Bacon and onions. They stuff the toppings under the cheese so it cooks within the pizza to help keep the explosion of flavor within. If you order one of their pasta dishes, you will be taking some of it home because their portions are gigantic. A staple in the community for many years and hopefully for many years to come.
(5)Lisa P.
We had large pepperoni pizza and cheese pizza, lasagna and anti pasta salad. Food was amazing.
(5)j p.
Normally I'm not a fan of just mozzarella on a pizza, but I have to say I really enjoyed this one. For years I've been dreaming of a pizza with a ton of cheese on it, and I finally found it! The cheese was so thick, we got full with 2 slices and took the rest home, so the price is well worth it since you will have nice leftovers. The sauce had a nice flavor as well, and the crust was nice, a little on the thick side but you need that with all the cheese. The toppings were under the cheese, which I like because they don't get dried out. I would definitely go back and try their other dishes too. The room was nice and dark (which not everyone likes but I love), and there are tables for big families if you have one. The only slightly negative things were the fact that you only get one refill on your soda, they only have 2 desserts, and we were feeling extra gluttonous that day and wanted some mozzie sticks, but they don't have them. Despite those things, I will be back there soon!
(4)Carrie R.
Have been going to Filippi's for years! The one in Escondido is still my favorite. Just good pizza and lasagna. I like the hot crusty bread too. It is very heavy food, so it is just an every once in a while treat.
(4)Gus L.
One of my picks for Best Pizza in the entire universe. However if you are initiated to the ways of Filippi's pizza, the be warned. This is not for the faint of lactose tolerance. Filippi's does not do extra cheese, because their pies come with a ton already. It turns some off initially, but most come to crave the mozzarella blanketed awesomeness that is a Filippi's pizza. Filippi's is what I think of when I think of old school casual Italian dinning. Fairly dark interior, wine bottles hanging from the ceiling. Great friendly local staff... and a ton of homemade type items. The salads are huge, and fresh, the spaghetti has been known to sure cancer (yep)...and the torpedo sandwiches would make any sandwich chain shrug and walk off the court. This is an Escondido landmark, so if you haven't gotten in here yet, you need to do so... except on a Friday during Cruisin Grand... then your going to have to get in line with me!
(4)Danielle M.
Pizza is amazing! So cheesy - hello, who doesn't like a cheesy pizza?! And their antipasta salad is good! We get take out from here often, and they never fail! Fresh and hot everytime. Love the small restaurant feel that they have.
(5)Michelle T.
Love this place! If you prefer they have gluten free pizza. We ordered it and it was super yummy!
(5)Myranda C.
I love the lasagna. However the past 3 times I've ordered a take out with cheesecake I always end up paying for it but never receiving it, which is a huge bummer on my part. The lasagna is better then any you will ever taste and I promise it's to die for. The salads go above and beyond. If you have an addictive personality stay away. :)
(5)Greg B.
Wow, Escondido's crappiest pizza. Seriously stay away. I spent 25 years in New England and am used to not being able to find decent pizza in Cali, but this is junk. I'm not even gonna analyze it for ya :(
(1)Zoe B.
I usually love this place! Ate here as a kid . We got two half and half orders to go with garlic bread. The bread was burned and I found three tooth picks cooked into the lasagna and they'd splintered. There was also random pieces of lettuce in the sauce cooked in. The attentiveness of the cook has gone down immensely. We won't be going back.
(2)Cory A.
I moved to valley center (later to escondido) in 1999 and a little while after my dad and his friends took me here and I loved the pizza. I'm not much of an Italian food guy so pizza was my choice and I loved it. Fast forward to 2014 and I haven't been since my first trip. Picked up a pizza today and it's the same pizza I loved all those years ago. I like a cheesy pizza and this place nails it. It reminds of a pizza place mu dad would take me to on the weekends when we lived in El Segundo in the mid 90's. 5 stars cause they stick to what has kept them there. Good filling food and good friendly service. Not to mention fast.
(5)Ivan M.
I was brought here as a surprise from a buddy who knows Escondido and knows I love pizza. I ate two slices and can hardly breathe. This fit for a king is no joke. Like the waitress said...we don't mess around here. So the toppings are piled high, but not as high as the cheese is piled on. Holy holy. My buddy had a meatball and a salad. He's 6'7" and was taken down by 1 meatball and a small salad. There were 3 big dudes at the table next to mine. They were sharing a large pepperoni and had to stop to take a break after 2 slices each. The pizza is filling. The food is not healthy, what with all that cheese and all, but it is good. Cheesy AF and a great deal. I'll be back but it will be after a few weeks of fasting perhaps.
(4)J B.
First time here... food and service were awesome considering it was a full house. Great casual quaint atmosphere. I ordered a half lasagne and was stuffed. Super moist and cheesy... sauce was light and delish! We started off with fresh warm full loaf french bread. Our waitress had a great attitude, very welcoming and so attentive. Thanks Christina!!! We'll definitely be back!!!
(5)Jacob R.
Their website, realcheesepizza.com , says it all. Thick crust, sweet sauce, and a thick layer of cheese that's just begun to crisp. I've been coming to Filippi's my whole life. Birthdays, holidays, Friday nights with the family- Filippi's (we call it Flips) has been there too. My favorite pizza would be an understatement. This place is a San Diego institution and the family owned energy bleeds from this location. A lot of the people who work there have been for as long as I can remember, and though I live in LA now-- the drive here is most certainly the cure for a pizza craving and homesickness.
(5)Katy S.
Friendly and amazing food!!! Love eating here. Absolutely, great place for family dinner. The pizza and lasagna is wow!!! The spaghetti, bread and salads are really bad but didn't mind one bit when you had the pizza and lasagna. Miss living in Escondido because of this restaurant!
(5)Andrea R.
It's okay...
(3)Chris G.
Went into the place, it was pretty dark. Not so much for the ambience, just kinda dark. The waitress was very kind, but gave us the dinner menu vs the lunch menu. We were planning on getting a small pizza, but that's not on the lunch menu, so instead we ordered a small salad, speghetti with meatballs, and cheesy bread. The cheesy bread was amazing! However the speghetti tasted off and the meatball (just one big meatball) was a little dry. The salad - nothing more than iceberg lettuce with a bunch of ranch. Kinda disappointing. All in all, just come for the pizza I guess. The rest needs a little touch up.
(3)Steve F.
Not the greatest place in terms of atmisphere but the best eggplant parm in town
(3)Kirk H.
I have been eating here for 20 years and have NEVER had a bad meal or bad service. This IS the best family run pizza joint in town!
(5)Armando G.
One of the best pizza joints in Cali. I think its safe to say that Filippi's is a San Diego stappel. They have resturants all over SD and and now Murrieta. Their food is wonderful. I had their eggplant parm wich was good.
(5)Jared J.
If you like lots of cheese on your pizza this is your place, can't say they have much else going for them.
(3)Elyse B.
The food is only so-so in my opinion, pretty classic for an Italian place, but the thing which sets this restaurant apart from other Italian places is the Garlic Bread. I am not quite sure exactly what they do to it but it is fantastic, so if you do go, make sure you give it a try.
(3)Veronica M.
If you love lots of cheese, bread and big portions you must come here. Love this place, my husband proposed here. It holds a special place in my heart.
(5)Christine C.
I went to this restaurant time and time again during my youth. Back then the thick slices of pizza that oozed with cheese seemed A-OK, but as an adult, I'm a bigger fan of thin crust veggie pizza. This Filippi's has dim lighting, a lively atmosphere, and great service. Their appetizer bread, pizza and pasta are all very heavy and filling, but now when I dine there I get the healthy and tasty minestrone soup. Plus, the restaurant has great antipasto salads. They give generous portions of tomatoes and they have a light Italian dressing. This Filippi's is perfect for family gatherings because of its warm atmosphere and spacious interior.
(4)Sarah G.
What a great italian restaurant! I grew up going to Filippi's - and honestly, I've only had three things on the menu. EVER. They're just so good, I can't bear not to get them whenever I go! I live in Las Vegas now (have since 2001) but I make sure that any time I'm in San Diego, I visit Filippi's. Heck, if I'm driving home I'll stop by and pick up a half-baked cheese pizza and finish in my oven at home! Cheese Pizza. Plain, simple, DELICIOUS. I've never had a pizza with any other toppings from Filippi's. Tons of cheese, fresh tomato sauce, crust that's just the right thickness... perfection. Lasagna. Not overly fussy - just wonderful layers of cheeses, pasta and sauce. I've only finished the half-portion once. I usually fill up on the fresh-baked bread - it's fantastic to dip in the tomato sauce! Cheese Ravioli with meat sauce: SO GOOD. Just like the lasagna, perfect combo of pasta and cheese. My brother always got a meatball with his. Meatballs the size of your fist! Oh! And their house itialian dressing! So yummy - but even better when you mix it with Ranch on your salad. I know it sounds weird, but trust me on this! The atmosphere really is a grotto - the restaurant is long and narrow, dimly lit with chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling. Tables with red and white checkered tablecloths, and candles in red glass jars on every table. Family and large-group friendly. Service is always quick and friendly. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. Parking can be a pain, but the rear entrance is easy to get to as well. Filippi's is a San Diego institution - one that I miss very much and look forward to every time I come home for a visit!
(5)Michaela S.
Filippi's pizza is the king of cheesy goodness. They have a nice selection of pies and beer, their portions are large and their prices are small. The restaurant has a cozy feel and the service is quick and friendly. Filippi's rocks!
(5)Jim L.
We've been going to Escondido to visit my father-in-law for 20+ years and this Thanksgiving weekend is the first time we've tried Filippi's. I have to say that I'm impressed. Carried out a large mushroom, pepperoni and sausage pizza. Huge amount of cheese on it. The flavor and style were reminiscent of the style of pizza that we used to get in college in the midwest. I'm always bitching about how they can't make a good pizza in California, so now I think I've found home. Will definitely do this again when we visit for Christmas. Wish the Riverside location were still around.
(5)Erin C.
I love good old fashioned Italian food! Great spaghetti with marinara, meatball sandwiches and pizza. I also love the soft, warm, crusty bread. I've been going here for years and think it's great.
(5)eva v.
Okay we read the reviews before going so the "overly cheesed" pizza we were ready for. It was good food for the price. We order the works pizza loaded with cheese of course and toppings. I could only eat 2 slices alot of food. Antipasto salad also good. Ordered the lasagna and couldn't even try it too full. Kinda glad we got take out though. The building is old and needs some fixing up or cleaning while waiting just stared at cobwebs hanging from the chiante bottles on the ceiling.
(4)Brian E.
Filippi's is awesome! My wife craves a Filippi's pizza at least twice a month. They don't hold back on the cheese or the toppings! If you like assembly-line pizza that doesn't stand out you probably won't like it. If you appreciate a restaurant giving you what you pay for then Filippi's is for you! I like the antipasto salad and the torpedo sandwich (hot with Italian dressing on it). The cheesy garlic bread is great too. Oddly enough...despite how often we go here...I don't think we've tried anything else! Well my wife does like the spaghetti too...but that's pretty standard fare really. I can't imagine a life without going to Filippi's often...and I don't think I want to!
(5)Becky L.
Nothing fancy...just great, delicious food! Went a few days ago & will be back!! The pizza is probably in my top 3 pizza's EVER! Thick crust & TONS of fresh mozzarella. We had the sausage & mushroom & they really pile on the toppings (under the cheese, that is). We also split 1/2 order of lasagna w/ meat sauce. Sauce was great, & again, lots of cheese in the lasagna. But I love cheese so I'm definitely not complaining! The bread was fresh & crusty on the outside, warm & soft inside. OH, & our waitress was super-friendly & helpful! Prepare to be full & bloated if you come here...but it's oh-so worth it!
(5)c p.
take a stroll past grape day park, into the heart of escondido, and you will find FPG, or Filippi's Pizza Grotto as the locals call it. this little pizza joint serves up a cheesy slice of southern california's history in the making as we know it. take a careful look at the photos with this listing. do you notice how much cheese is on those pies? it tastes like about twice that. wouldn't be too bad of a pizza, if not for the overabundance of cheese. too much! wayyyy too much! overheard at adjacent bad date: diner: "what do you recommend?" waitress: "well, are you in the mood for a pasta dish or pizza?" diner: "pizza." waitress: "well, you know, it's pizza. what kind of toppings do you like?" diner: "i don't know! what's most popular?" waitress: "um... i go pretty basic, i like pepperoni." good luck, happy dining, and have a grape day!
(1)Jacob A.
Used to frequent the San Diego Filippi's every time I was down there. (Love the Chianti bottles on the ceiling). This one is very similar including the legendary 16 tons of cheese per slice. Their dough (kind of soft, thick & crumbly ) and the sausage, which has kind of a sweet/smokey flavor, meld together into a really unique (and tasty!) pizza pie. This combo makes their stuff a little heavy, and I can't eat as many slices here as other pizza joints. All of their other foodstuffs are good but not mind blowing, I've only ever had small tastes of those though. Usually I stick to the Large sausage/peperoni. For the purists out there they serve Coke in a can, not from the fountain, so i always feel weird about asking for refills (that hasn't stopped me though, 17th can o' coke here I come). Folks dying for a heavenly slice of thin crust or connesiours, may leave disappointed. Deep dishers and pizza lovers owe it to themselves to give Filippi's a try.
(3)Jim T.
I have been eatin at Fillipis for over 25 years, used to eat at the O-side one before it burned down in the 80's. The Pizza is great, but eat it there because this pizza does not sit well as a morning after pie, mainly because of the signature 10 pounds of cheese gets rock hard and the 6 stack under the cheese pepperoni gets a waxy feel. The salad dressing is home made daily and awsome and the lasagna is great as well, not a big fan of much else on the menu but my wife loves to order the ravioli and anti pasta salad. Simply put, they make a kick butt pitcher of beer, after the game "man pizza", none of that lame New York style paper pizza here. For those of you who prefer light cheese, order dominoes, we don't want you here anyway. And as a reply to another critic, the cheese they use is NOT cheap, it is Sierra brand true mozzarella and distinguished as one of the best and most expensive in the business and is what gives fillipis the edge over all the other crappy pizzerias around. Don't be confused, this is a straight pizza/pasta joint, not a fine Italian restaurant.
(4)Daniel B.
If you like cheese then, Filippis is the place for you. The pizzas have so much cheese I almost overdosed (don't worry, I'm fine). The bread they bring to the table is fantastic and warm. Would def recommed it to anyone in the area.
(5)scott w.
this place is pretty good, yes the pizza is drowned with no joke, a half inch of cheese. easily. the antipasta salad is the best here, they put a little sauce on it with their house dressing, yum! oh and their lasagna is good too. the bread sticks that they give out to everyone aren't wonderful... but then you can get cheesy breadsticks... those are kinda good. but the bread is still papery tasting... so, try it once, its pretty good.
(4)Chris O.
This is such a great Italian restaurant, I would highly reccomend their pizza, its amazing! They really give you quality food, for a great price!
(5)J B.
yummy cheesy thick crust goodness!
(5)Julie H.
This place has a great half and half deal where you can get half a lasagna and half a spaghetti or ravioli. It is plenty for two hungry people. The food is really good, but could really use more spices particularly garlic and maybe some brown sugar? Not sure it is just missing that little extra something. Pizza is good just has way too much cheese. I need to start asking them to hold half the cheese. I particularly love their white pizza!
(4)Jamie W.
Absolutely the best pizza and antipasto salad ever ! I ordered fresh tomatoes and pepperoni pizza and antipasto salad w the Italian and extra ranch soo amazing . Tgere home made it'd lain dressing is my husbands favorite
(5)Rose T.
This Pizza is good if you're into extreme cheese. We called our order ahead. We ordered the pepperoni pizza. When we got there our pizza was hot at ready. The customer service here is friendly. This location is great because they also have the options to dine in. There are always people here which I like. The décor needs some dusting. Parking here is horrible. You have to park behind the business if you are not lucky to find some at the front of the restaurant.
(4)Phil M.
If you're looking for a legit Italian restaurant this place is the way to go. Food is delicious. They have multiple locations in the San Diego County which makes it convenient where ever you happen to be in the area. Customer service could use a little work especially when they get busy. Otherwise it is a great place for family or even a date night for couples out there. Ambience is nice. I recommend their spaghetti and ravioli.
(4)Olivia B.
I use to come here when I was a teen and thought the pizza was amazing. Then we moved from Escondido to the inland empire. Well over the summer my family and I came down to esco and stopped and got a pizza to go. It was amazing as I remembered it and my bf was hooked. This time we brought along my friend and sat down. We got the antipasto salad and it was okay and garlic bread. It was alright. When we got our "fit for a king" pizza...it wasn't hot, or cold. Like it was sitting there for 20 mins. There was so much veggies that it out weighed the meat... We ate and agreed we would stick to the pepperoni pizza next visit. Until, my stomach started turning! I went to the restroom, it was so dirty and small that I walked out! When we left I had to stop at a gas station....I don't think I will be back after that. It gets three stars because of teen memories.
(3)Linda P.
Worse possible place to eat! My food got me absolutely sick to my stomach ! I would not recommend anyone going to this place! Yes I know they have been around forever but if you want a good meal it's not this place! I ended up in the bathroom the whole night because of the meal I had ordered the veal which is the worse possible ever! Trust me I only had one bite and I still got sick!!! You are better off going to New York giant pizza!!!
(1)Ali B.
Just not the same as it used to be. And by used to be I mean about 5 years ago. As long time Fillippis customers, we have watched the steady decline of most of the locations. I'm all for old school, cozy, hole in the wall. But an occasional carpet clean wouldn't kill this location. The pizza ingredients seem tone of poor quality compared to what it used to offer. The mushrooms on pizza seemed canned. The house salad is only Iceberg now w tomato, olive, and one peppercini. Gone are the garbanzo beans. The pizza was barely cooked. As seems to be the norm. And the coffee- terrible. More than terrible. At least the server was wonderful, and it's close to home. That's about it though. I think at this point, I will have to scratch Fillippis Escondido off my list for good. In fact, it will only be an occasional rare visit to the Little Italy location when picking up people at airport. And that's honestly because of the great store front and fantastic fig cookies!!
(2)Eddie M.
I have been going to Filippi's since I was a little kid, and I have to say, it really doesn't get any better than this. The marinara sauce is perfectly authentic and very flavorful. The pastas are all very delicious, I have tried most of them. The bread always tastes fresh and delicious, and of course don't let me forget the pizza! The pizza is always full of cheese and that delicious sauce. The service is also very good! Don't miss out on this awesome restaurant.
(5)Isabel H.
Checked this place out based on Yelp reviews. Pleasantly surprised. Took the waitresses recommendation on sharing a dinner with my husband, glad we did! We ordered the lasagna, spaghetti and ravioli dinner (which comes with soup and salad) they were nice enough to sub out the spaghetti for extra of the other 2 items. The soup was OK, salad was simple but fresh, and bread would have been better plain or with just butter (they put marina sauce? on it) didn't care for that much. Pizza was HUGE and chessy! It was pretty good, the kind you have to eat with a fork :-)
(4)Bill R.
If u want fufu Italian whee you pay $10 for a small salad, skip it and quit your whining. Old school mob Italian, this is your joint. Best pizza I've ever had.
(5)Stephanie E.
Came here the day after Christmas and was beyond disappointed. I understand that restaurants are busy especially during the holidays but if you say the order will be ready in a half hour then it should be ready give or take a few minutes. I called ahead and arrived 20 minutes later with the expectation that I would have to wait. The staff kept asking the kitchen for my order and they kept promising just a few minutes. Over 45 minutes later I got my 1 pizza that I had ordered without even a genuine apology. When we got home and opened the box I found bread with about a 5 pound block of cheese on top. The pizza was undercooked and I even took it out of the box and into the oven to cook longer. Overwhelming amount of cheese with tomato sauce out of a can. You're better off buying a frozen pizza. Will never eat here again.
(1)Lanya G.
The antipasto salad is my favorite! The pizza is pure cheesy goodness. Makes for a romantical little spot for a date. I def enjoy eating here.
(4)Jennie L.
Terrible sandwiches. Viewed menu on-line. Sandwiches were advertised to be made with meat, onion, lettuce, tomato, and olive oil. Our sandwiches were made with meat, lots of lettuce, and a very old tomato, no onion or oil. Very dry and tasteless. Almost $8.00 a piece. Next time I'll go to Subway.
(1)Geo C.
We found an awesome surprise in this place. Is definitely our new favorite place. I ordered the family combo and it was by far the biggest serving I have ever had. Could easily feed 2 adults and my 3yr old too. We ordered a meatball that has been renamed the meatloaf LOL. Staff was friendly and efficient even during busy day and fast service. I have to say also everything comes with a bowl of soup and salad that is pretty big and a mountain of bread. Tip order small and build up as needed. The Italian drsg is so very good amazing as bread dip too!!
(5)Valerie R.
oh my gosh. best pizza ever! cheesy goodness! love, love, love filippi's!
(5)Scott P.
Great little Italian restaurant in Escondido. I know there are quite a few locations, but I'm partial to this one. I've had great service and great food every time. There is ample seating and depending where you park, you might walk through the back door of the restaurant to get to the front for seating. The pizza is the main attraction for me. It's like a cheese volcano with toppings being somewhere engulfed inside the cheesy goodness. It is good as just cheese, or adding fresh mushrooms or pepperoni is good too. I also enjoy the Eggplant Parmigiana sub. Crusty Italian bread with perfectly fried eggplant, covered in that wonderful cheese and marinara sauce. It ranks up there with favorite sandwiches of all time. If you enjoy good pizzas and Italian food, this is a good place to go in Escondido.
(5)Colleen J.
Fillipi's where have you been all my life? Stumbled on to this place while looking for quick bite on our way to the Wild Animal Park and HOLY CRAP, the pizza is EPIC!!! They overload the pizza with toppings and then flood the pie with an enormous layer of cheese to seal in all the deliciousness. If my mind could make a pizza this would be it. I'm all about tons of toppings and cheese and I like a sloppy slice, so if I'm using a knife and fork to eat pizza, that's a damn good sign. Fillipi is my kinda man!
(5)Erika S.
Always always always.... ALWAYS my boyfriend and I's favorite place for pizza. The staff, especially Maria, who knows us by name, are always super friendly even during a rush. And believe me, especially weekend nights, more likely than not, there will be a rush. We usually order out and bring it home and cuddle up to watch a movie together, or if we feel like dining in, there's almost a "lady and the tramp" kind of vibe! Love it! Favorite to order: pepperoni pizza (Classic) and the spaghetti and meatballs dinner (yumyumyum)!!
(5)Phillip W.
Along with Pernicano's Casa di Baffi (House of the Mustache) and Bostonia, Fillipi's in Little Italy was the Italian and pizza of my childhood growing up in San Diego. I don't know how long there's been a Fillipi's in Escondido -- I don't recall ever coming here during the four years my dad was a resident park ranger at Felicita County Park -- but this location seems true to my memory of Fillipi's in the old days. Good friendly service. Enormous portions. Great prices. And enough cheese on your pizza to choke a Packers fan. On the special commendation side, we recently met friends here before Cruising Grand on a Friday evening. We had asked the waitress to evenly split the check several ways, and I ended up misreading a $20.05 on the credit card tab as $28.85 in the poor light. I added a $7 tip and totaled it up as $35.85. But when these nice and honest folks submitted the charge to Amex, they fixed the amount and submitted it as $27.05. No big deal, you say? Well, considering we've been to two SD area eateries in the past year where a thieving server actually added more tip to our credit card charge (both reviewed below), this is meritorious conduct above and beyond the call of duty. Bravo Zulu, Fillipi's!
(5)Teresa H.
We recently used Filippi's to cater our son's and daughter-in-law's wedding rehearsal dinner. Two female employees helped us place and confirm our order of 10 lg pizzas, two entrees, an antipasto tray and dinner salad. I wish I hadn't tossed my notes with their names, they deserve to be mentioned. They provided excellent service, courteous and efficient and both even mentioned a scheduled Friday night event that would tie up traffic. They told us where to pick up our order so we wouldn't be delayed. Upon arrival, our order was ready to go and we were assisted with loading up. When we arrived and began to set up our dinner, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity of the food. The salads were cold and crisp, the entrees and pizzas piping hot. Everything was amazing, we were provided with lots of "extra" meat sauce on the side, as well as 30 (yes, thirty) loaves of bread... I thought they might have provided small individual loaves, but it turns out they were full sized loaves of Italian bread. We had enough food to feed about 25 to 30 hungry friends and family who had spent the day travelling, setting up the wedding and rehearsing. There were leftovers for later in the evening and into the next to enjoy after the ceremony, dinner and reception. I will definitely visit Filippi's whenever I've got the craving for some great Italian food. I did find my notes, and want to mention the two employees who were very helpful in placing our order, answering our questions and making the pick up of our large order seamless. They are Christina and Jordan. Our thanks as well to the cooks, who provided a great meal and the support staff who quickly and carefully loaded our car. After a thirty minute trip, some of it over dirt washboard road, everything arrived in perfect shape.
(5)Jose V.
Being new to the area it appears that this place has lost its swagger. The food reminds me of a canned, processed and not very well thought out Italian food. The location is great, but the inside is worn and feels as it tastes. Disappointed and expected better. Maybe my taste buds have been ruined by other Italian joints in San Diego.
(3)Ruth R.
I come here when I am craving eggplant parmesan. They have it down. I love there house salad. I was a little disappointed when I asked for olive oil to dip my bread, and they said they don't carry olive oil at all. I found it very strange that an Italian place does not carry olive oil. Olive oil should be coming out of the soda machines in an Italian restaurant.
(4)Mark S.
Great food with huge helpings. The salad is awesome. A little slow getting the main course but well worth the wait. We will be back.
(4)Adam S.
When i eat pizza, i want cheese. Thus far in my 40+ years on this earth, this is the first place that I do not order extra cheese. I've had this pizza for years and have had some that were too well done or not done enough, but never a question about the toppings. The antipasto salad is great here as well. The servers have been there for years which i like. Best place in Escondido by far for a thick, over the top, cheesy pizza. Stacky's Best of Escondido Awardâ„¢-Pizza (Thick)
(5)Donna A.
I love this place!! I am not a pizza lover by any means but this pizza was AMAZING!!! The people who say it's too much cheese are crazy! You can never have too much cheese it's like a mountain and I love it!!! Will defiantly be going back soon!
(5)Priscilla R.
Wow! I am shocked at the bad reviews! This pizza is so good, one of my favorite pizza places. But I'm also a cheese lover so I LOVE that they put so much cheese. You know that pizza they show on the original Ninja turtle movies? Well it's like that.. the cheese stretches when biting into it. So effin good!
(5)Nycole F.
Their lasagna was delicious. All their pizzas have way too much cheese but if that's the kind of pie you like then this is the place for you. The waitress was horrible other than that I would go back for lasagna.
(2)Kevin M.
I absolutely love their pepperoni pizza. I always bring my own hot sauce since they only have crushed red pepper on the table. I would've given 5 stars but the booths are so tight and uncomfortable and really restricting on your personal space while dining. I feel like it's time they spend a little extra money on fixing the place up a bit. It has that old, vintage, Italian feel to it which I like but I feel like the owners haven't had any interest in keeping the place current. From the tablecloths/placemats, to the carpet, to the walls, to the tables, to the old chairs, to not having a computer system so that the servers can actually take your payment at the table and not have to walk up front to be met with an ancient cash register; it's time to renovate.
(4)Christopher O.
Ignore the low star reviews, they don't know good pizza. Filippis pizza is in my top five pizzas I've had in any state. Above that, they are the best of the filippis family restaurants. The original in downtown is good, I just like the slight menu changes and service in Escondido best. Order a blue cheese salad and a fit for a king, and you got the best meal around.
(5)Marie M.
OMG why would anyone go here for pizza?? You have to eat the pizza with a fork and knife because the paper thin crust soggy wont even hold up the thin layer of toppings. This is a mom and pop style place and everything taste like its from a can. The fast food chain pizza places are much better and cheaper. Our UPS rep brings this stuff in and its awful every time! This is NOT good pizza! Stay away.
(1)Sml L.
Best pizza!!!! No need to order a pizza with "extra" cheese!!!
(5)Debra P.
Pizza the way Felipe' is supposed to be!!! Love this place! Went to the one in Temecula on Superbowlvsunday...nasty!
(5)Jim K.
I have been coming to this Filippi's for over 30 years. I would have given this location an easy 5 stars up to about 3 or so years ago. They have definitely gone downhill. Still very good but not to the old quality standards they used to have. Their pizza used to be the best, especially the quality of the cheese. but it seems they went cheap on the cheese and pepperoni so it doesn't have the same pop. Now it tastes closer to Dominoes. However, their other items, ravioli and pastas still very good. Their bread and their house salad dressing bring my rating up to the 4 stars. Let's hope the old quality comes back to this location.
(4)cheri F.
We hit Filippi's with an extremely LARGE group for lunch today (40+ people) and they were wonderfully accommodating! With only 1 gal to handle taking our orders and getting the food out to us...she was Awesome! I should also mention that the lunch specials are appropriately priced and there's more than enough to give you another meal (or 2) with the leftovers. Their food is pretty standard but good.
(5)Peter S.
I've been eating here for years, and its never let me down. I always recommend Filippi's as the pizza shop to eat at.
(5)Andrea B.
Wow! Portions are huge. Pizza is beyond delicious. So was the meatball sandwich. The only two things wrong were the overabundance of canned mushrooms on my veal parmagiana. Maybe if the were fresh it would've been ok. But it was tons of canned ones. And secondly, we were at such a dark table we couldn't read our menus. The waitress noticed this and said its a dark table but then didn't light a candle or anything. Other than that she was great and the food was yummy!
(4)Melanie H.
Very good everything taste homemade and they serve nice big portions enough to take home for lunch the next day :)
(5)Kimberly H.
This pizza is so good you need to eat it with a fork! The only thing they could improve on is the garlic bread but the rest of their food is completely satisfying. If you are not a HUGE fan of cheese then you may want to request half the cheese because they are extremely generous. Sometimes you have to wait what feels like a ridiculous amount of time when they don't appear to be busy but perhaps they have a back up of "To Go" orders. The price is kind of high but they have a lot of parking out back and some street parking in the front. They are great for calling ahead lunch orders.
(4)Holly E.
I came here for the first time on 3/29/14. We ordered the family dinner with an order of meatballs. I was surprised that it was only one meatball but it was extremely large. Enough to share. The spaghetti and sauce was very good. The lasagna was outstanding. I didn't care much for the ravioli. The bread and soup was also very good.
(4)Crystal D.
My family and I absolutely love this location. The staff and service is exceptional. Sadly we lost a family member to pancreatic cancer. We decided to eat at escondido location the bext day. The manager Maria got a huge group of us on a Saturday night. The server took amazing care of us. Maria the manager came and checked on us thru out the night. We got one of the bottles of chianti to decorate in our sister In laws memory. Maria came and hung the bottle the same night for us, offered to take our big group picture , and offered her condolences . Now every-time were there we can feel "she's" still with us. Maria was professional,compassionate , and treated us like family. The food was hot ,fresh, and absolutely mouth watering. Our server suggested the Jalapino cheese bread (which isn't on the menu) it was delicious. We will continue to visit this location often with and without kids and even date nights. :) thank you for such a great family fun atmosphere and great staff!!!
(5)Michelle M.
So I used to come to this place a lot with my parents and never really had much of a problem with their food. I decided to take my boyfriend here on St. Patrick's Day, Worst mistake ever. The marinara sauce looked odd and a little dark, not even like red like tomato sauce is suppose to be. Well the bread was about the only thing good out of our meal and the spumoni. But seriously, how can you mess up spaghetti?!
(2)Melissa L.
Cheese bread had a ton of cheese on it. Which to me is a great thing. My lunch size lasagna was delicious and filling and I took home lefterovers. I went on my lunch break and we got in and out in under an hour. I will definitely be going back.
(5)Zue W.
Once again having a treat at filippi's for dinner. This is the best pizza ever. And the customer service also.
(5)Heather W.
Now remember, this is not fine dining, so don't come in with your high brow and unreasonable expectations... But if you're looking for an underpriced, over portioned, great Italian meal with an old school Italian feel, this is your spot! From pizza to pasta to garlic bread, they do it right. And you will NEVER leave hungry, nor with your wallet light. I've frequented a few fillipi's, and I like this one because of Burnadette- sweet and very hardworking server. Being a veteran server myself, I know what to look for and this girl has got it! Along with all the other smiles here :) Come check it out! Great for kids or a cheap date with your significant other :)
(5)Mimi S.
So this guy asks me to go over to his place for a movie and some piazza...all good so far. He works 30 min away from his job and I live 60 min away from him...so far so good. I leave 20 min after he leaves work....so far so good. Im almost to his place and I gotto pee...really bad...ooooh Im here...call to him to tell him Im here...he says Im not there...things are going bad now...crap I gotto find a bathroom....bathroom nowhere to be found...dark parking lot across school plus toilet paper in trunk....things are good again...I park and he pull up in his car and is wearing flip flops, shorts, and a shirt....things are bad again....we pick up pizza...phew things are good again...we pick up coke at 7-11 things are good again...we get to his place...he turns on adult swim as we are eating...things are getting freaking bad again...IRobt is on as he flips channels and asks me if I want to watch it I say yes and he flips channels again....reaching boiling point now....we move the show to his room...things are good again...he stays on his fucking computer checking his fucking facebook while playing loud music so we cant even talk all the while checking his fucking cell phone for over an hour...boiling point reached and I am fucking out of there. Now back to the pizza, Ive had better by Venetians(Point Loma) and Lido's(Lemon Grove). It had extra cheese but the whole toppings slid right off and a medium is super small and expensive $15??? I may give it another try but based off this experience I wouldnt hold my breath. Id say take your money to Pizza Hut.
(2)Mariana W.
I LOVE THE PIZZA! Extremly cheesy:) so, some people hate it and some others like me love it! I do not like their salads at all, they put way to much dressing on it (like the cheese on pizza) and the salad is pretty plain. I just wish the place was more clean, the carpet and walls over there look very old! I wonder how many people has drop food in there but the pizza is great! love it!
(3)Mitch K.
Don't get the meatball sandwich. On so many levels it sucked. I rarely give out one star ratings. 1) The sandwich was just under 10 bucks. Really? That's ridiculous 2) It was basically a soggy half baguette doused in marinara sauce. 3) When I was lucky enough to score a sliver of meat ball it was so so 4) Service was not friendly, and unwelcoming. My advice: Avoid the crappy parking situation on Grand, drive to Rock'n Jenny's on Valley Parkway. Order their delicious Meatball sandwich for under 5 bucks! And keep that extra 5 bucks in your wallet. PS Jenny's gives you an extra 10% off when you mention yelp!
(1)Jessica P.
Do you like 1 inch solid blocks of mozzarella atop soggy bread? Do you not like toppings other than cheese? Do you like your cheese (and toppings if you answered "no" to question 2) to easily separate from your crust? You should eat here. Everyone else will be truly disappointed.
(1)Willa C.
Growing up in Escondido this was always a favorite. The pizza is packed full of cheese and toppings and the ambiance was always welcoming. Now that I have moved away, whenever I come to visit my family, this is one of the places that I have HAVE have to go to. The last two visits were simply not as great as I remember though and sadly I have been increasingly saddened. The food is still great... but the SERVICE is shoddy. Last time, which in their defense was over a year ago, the waitress spilled soda all over the table ans it took at least 10 min to bring back a rag. We cleaned it up with napkins ourselves. TONIGHT when I called, I got hung up on twice then put on hold for 25 min. I finally hung up, called back, and this time asked how long their hold time was and the person who picked up the phone explained they were crazy busy. Really? Duh. But how long is the wait time??? That questions wasn't answered as the guy just kept telling me theater were busy. Ugh. And before you tell me - it's Friday night... duh! I understand being busy! I don't understand being rude. I don't get out this way often anymore as I live out of state. It's like, how am I supposed to know it isn't a regular thing - considering the last couple of times it has been bad. Thankfully, there is no reason to fight about it as there are other locations that have pizza just as good and service to write home about. I think ill stick with the poway or temecila locations. I'm done with this one.
(2)Jemma A.
Decided to stop by again after having a decent meal about a year ago. What a HORRIBLE mistake. I like cheese on my pizza but when the cheese sticks to the top of your mouth and you cannot even swallow that is simply not acceptable. Almost threw up because the cheese was soooo much. Dark and dirty. Pass this up and go elsewhere.... too much hype for nothing.
(1)Basma I.
We went here for the gluten-free pizza, upon sitting, the place was really nice and we ordered a pitcher of beer. The beer came fast, and the server came shortly after, as we tried to order a gluten-free pizza because my friend is extremely allergic, the server [Jordan] said they ran out which is understandable the place is REALLY busy, but she didn't show any concern as my friend was saying "great, I can't have anything" As we took a few sips out of our beers, we proceeded to ask what we should do the server said "you can just bounce if you would like, but make sure to pound your drinks and I will bring the check for you." As a person who is in customer service I would have expected a little more of a place that is so busy. I was also disappointed that the server did not suggest to comp the beer so we could leave right way. It started off as a promising place, but in the end the customer service was not one we enjoyed. [we also did not finish the beer because it was so unwelcoming. ]
(1)Heath C.
Try Fillipi's if you're looking for pizza with sizable mounds of gooey, mouth-watering cheese covering all the fresh toppings. The toppings seem pretty substantial. The crust is perfectly chewy. I've never been inside but based on what I've tasted, this place is worth a try.
(4)Susan M.
Told you we would be here tonight.
(5)David T.
Look, I'm all for a ton of cheese on a pizza, but if you put a ton of cheese on your pizza, you've got to cook it well! I'm always excited about the prospect of getting a pizza here, but they barely warm the pizza so the cheese is just a huge congealed disgusting blob of grease. If you put this much cheese on your pizza you've got to brown the cheese on the top a bit so it isn't just a pile of greasy cheese goobers. So, my opinion is that this pizza is actually pretty gross because they fail to bake the pizza properly and eating 2 pounds of lukewarm cheese is not my idea of yummy pizza.
(2)Al A.
Dark, cozy, vinyl clad, bustling with commotion and reeking of garlic. That's the first impression I got when I entered this joint from the back parking lot. This place came highly recommended by my local friends who frequented this particular location and tried all the others in San Diego. The pastas, delicious. The pizzas, well done and covered thickly with cheese. The service, drinks were refilled without having to stand up and wave down a waitress. The one item that struck me the most was the freshly baked breads which was served warm with butter. Of all the Italian joints I've tried in the past, this place had the most warmth and personality. With all the corporate based eateries we get in the suburbs, this is a nice change of pace.
(4)David L.
Medium "The Works" pizza is our staple. Easily two meals for two with leftovers. Yum!
(5)Phillip N.
Oh my gosh. I had my first taste of really really great pizza here. Well, not here. It was at my friend's birthday party. I love the crust. Just the right amount of thickness. I've never been a fan of thin crust--which I think tastes like a cracker. No thanks. I love the sauce. I wish there was more sauce because it's so good. Ummm...maybe not. Maybe that's why I like it, not too much sauce. The cheese was unreal. I've never tasted such good cheese on a pizza. My favorite topping? The mushrooms. Yummy yummy yummy. There is nothing fancy here. Just delicious simplicity.
(5)Fabiola G.
Came to Fillippis for the first time yesterday after my bro and wifey have been telling me how good it was!!!!! And they were right!!! Food amazing, clean place and staff was really nice! They even let us leave my bros car there because he had had a bit to much to drink!!! Lol
(5)Michelle C.
I have been going to the Filippi's Pizza Grottos since I was 4 years old...maybe even before that -- I just can't remember that far back. Dark, Italian romantic atmosphere with chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling, and grapevine-entwined lattice decor...these people invented the classic Italian restaurant theme. Filippi's, as the restaurants are affectionately called, have always been known for their phenomenal pizzas....most notably the excessive amount of cheese that they routinely apply with abandon. Do Not Go Here If You Do Not Like Cheese! (Or at least, don't order the pizza!) I love cheese, so I'm OK. Last week I went to Filippis with a rare individual -- someone who loves cheese as much as I do. Maybe even more(!) She suggested that we order our pizza with EXTRA cheese! So we did. Our server was stunned. He tried to explain: "umm, sir, I mean, m'am, we put a 'lot' of cheese on our pizzas..." he trailed off as she interrupted him, "yes, we know, but we still want extra." (We had predicted his response and discussed how we would handle it before placing the order.) When the pizza arrived, it was literally blanketed with cheese, each piece was covered over an eighth of an inch thick. I am not exaggerating when I say it must have had over a pound of cheese on it. It was amazing. You can't go wrong with Filippi's Pizza... and their garlic bread and pastas are good too...and if you go in for lunch, they have an Awesome Torpedo sandwich: drizzled with Italian vinaigrette on an authentic Italian roll. It's big, so plan on taking half of it with you for later-- it will hold up fine, trust me.
(5)Kristen F.
Go for lunch & they have great specials! I haven't been for dinner. LOVE the bread, but eat it there. I'ts NEVER the same if you take it home for later.
(5)Sebastian R.
This was probably the most disgusting pizza I ever had. First of all the service was slow. They finally brought out the pizza which was basically a massive glob of plastic-looking rubbery cheese on stale bread. We had to pull off this gross mass of goo just to be able to stomach it, it just peeled off in one piece. Even then with no cheese it was bad. Looking around, everyone's pizza looked like that. We complained but rather than addressing the problem, we were told that everyone loves it. We went home hungry and will never eat at Filippis again.
(1)Rachel C.
We were in town for the night and this place was recommended by the hotel. We got there at 6:00 p.m. on a Wednesday and the place was packed. That seem to be a good sign. Long story short the service was fine. The server was very friendly. Here's a breakdown of the food we tried: Spaghetti and meatball dinner: 3 stars Came with soup, salad and garlic bread for $10.50. A great deal with the amount of food you get to take home. The soup was tasty. I have had better, but still good. The garlic bread was great too. Really soft, chewy bread. The salad was terrible. A huge mound of iceberg lettuce with a few tomatoes, olives and peppercini's. The house italian dressing was terrific, however. It's a tomato base and I could have licked the plate if this stuff was on it. I do wish people could put a little more creativity in their salads. I would rather have less lettuce with more veggies. Anyway, onto the meatball. Good flavor, but a little tough. And now the meat sauce. It's tasty, but very sweet. I prefer a tangier sauce, but if you like a sweet sauce this is the place for you. The pasta itself was cooked to a nice al dente. Cheese ravs: 1 star The only word that comes to mind is - weird! They came with the same meat sauce I mentioned above, but the filing had an overpowering taste of nutmeg. These might be good with a brown butter sauce, but not a red meat sauce. The flavors didn't go well together at all. My 6 year old loved them though. Italian sausage sandwich: 5 stars The bread is amazing. Soft on the inside, chewy on the outside. It's hard to mess up this kind of sandwich and it didn't disappoint. The BF left extremely happy. Overall, the price of our entire meal with wine and a beer was $40. Very happy with the price and the service. The food was ok. I wouldn't mind coming back to try the pizza if we are ever in town again.
(3)jasmine L.
Best pizza ever! Ive been going there since I was a kid. It is always great. Service is spotty but the amazing food makes up for it. Try the Fit for a King and the meat sauce is made with red wine and taste like heaven.
(5)Bree H.
This place looks kind of dinky at first like a sportsbar pizza joint that's trying to be a restaurant...and make no mistake, it is just that. The tables and chairs are kind of cheap with tablecloths thrown over them and chardonnay bottles in the middle of the table to I guess jazz it up or something. Whatever, what can I truly expect from Murrieta/Temecula.... Anyway, the "family dinner" for two feeds four - two adults and two young adults. The salad was a little meh but we came in at almost closing time and they still chose to feed us which I thought was really nice of them and a good show of business, so points to you guys. It was the end of the night so I can't really fault them for their salad. The house wine is OUSTANDING! Wow! It's unusual for a house wine to be that good, and unexpected from a place that has neon beer signs in the window. The bread was great, the pasta and lasagna were great but the pizza was not for me. Just not something that was really my style. Didn't care for the cheese - taste and too much of it and the toppings below instead of above. It's like a calzone but not quite there. Anyway, this place is A-Ok. The house wine was great and I really liked the lasagna. Would come here again for either, if with family.
(3)Christine N.
We went to a resort out in Escondido on Friday for a lil R&R and was ready for dinner so the guy at the Front Desk recommended Filippi's Pizza Grotto since he was Italian and seemed to know what he was talking about. Without YELP and my laptop...we decided to try it out since it was the closest joint before driving further. This place was located in Downtown Escondido. We came on a Friday night which was also their "Classic Cars" night. There were lots of people (relatively a lot for their town) and live entertainment. The place is very easy to spot...White, Red and Green stripes everywhere. The wait was going to be APPROXIMATELY 1 hour/10 minutes. Hmm....it was about 8:30 pm...we quickly moved ourselves to the "TO-GO" counter. BAM...ordered and got our food in 15 minutes. Wanted to dine in for the experience but seriously...we were starving. Got the food and we headed back to the resort. Glad we did it. Here's what we ordered: 01. Large Salad ($6.95) - 2 Stars - Any salad that comes out with ICEBERG Lettuce is automatically getting 2 Stars. I had a few tomatoes, Peppers, Olives! That was it. But I'm going to give them 3 Stars for their "HOUSE ITALIAN DRESSING", it was made with a tomato base. Really good and such a great surprise for such a boring salad. I highly recommend getting a small but a large was just 2 of the small salads. Too much, this is only the salad, wait till I review the rest of the food choices. 02. Garlic Cheese Bread ($4.50) - 2 Stars - I've NEVER EVER had Garlic cheese bread served this way. Okay...it comes out in a foot long loaf of bread with the middle of the bread a huge SLICE OF MOZA CHEESE and probably garlic salt becuz I didn't see any pieces of fresh garlic. I guess I'm not used to the concept, I was expecting the cheese to be melted on the bread like at most places. NOPE...not here, the cheese just sat between the bread on its own. Sorry, I didn't have a camera with me, or you know I would've taken a shot for you. 03. Half & Half - Spaghetti & Meat Raviolis ($8.65) - 2 & 3 Stars Their Half portions are so much that you can def share any half order between 2 people. Seriously....TRUST ME! - The Spaghetti was not good, tasted like a lazy recipe of spaghetti pasta with a jar of marinara sauce. The sauce did have a peppery kick to it. Just boring so I'm giving it 2 Stars. - Meat Ravioli - I'm giving them 3 Stars becuz it was filling and good. The same sauce on the ravioli went much better than it did on the spaghetti. Remember to ask for extra sauce becuz if you didn't, you'll be asking anyways. They served everything with barely ANY sauce. 04. Half Lasagna ($6.95) - 3 Stars This was my dish and I'm so glad I ordered this one. The best of the evening becuz it was simple and hearty. Not to mention how big and high it stacked up. I was pleased. Don't get me wrong, this was good, but I've had better at many other places. SERVICE: SUPER SLOW if you dine in, order "TO-GO" if you don't want to wait. SUPER FAST service at the "TO-GO" counter though. NOTE - A "Foot Long" loaf of bread comes out with each order. So after ordering the Garlic Cheese Bread, we walked out with 4 loaves of bread. Yikes...overload on CARBS. Eating in different cities, made me realized the food in OC & LA is SURE Better than our surrounding neighbors.
(3)Melissa F.
A good Escondido staple. The best place to sit is in the front on the right because it's pretty dark in the back (low lighting with candles). My favorite is always the chicken parm, it's perfectly cooked and super tasty.
(4)Gary R.
My family and I have been eating at Fillipi's since I was a teenager. It's been about 8 months since I've had a piece of pizza, so, today, I made a trip down to Fillipi's to finally quell the craving. All of their pizzas are made of the finest quality ingredients. Everything is so fresh. The mozzarella cheese is what makes it, in my opinion. It's so thick and chewey! To die for. What I like about it also is that it is not overly sauced. You actually taste the full power of the toppings in every bite, rather than tasting a bite full of sauce and cheese. Everything is well balanced. ADVISORY: For those of you arrogant pizza snobs that are looking for New York style, well, stay the hell out of here! Don't bother coming! We don't want you here! Fillipi's is for those of us that actually appreciate authentic, Itialian pizza with great chewey crust and bread (not the thin crust), the way pizza was meant to be made. (now ducking away in fright)
(5)anna a.
I asked my husband to bring me pizza one day, and he came here, got a normal tomato and cheese pizza. I think someone screwed up ingredient placement on the pizza but it was the best mess up I've ever have--tomatoes on bottom, cheese on top. So the tomatoes were encased in the cheese. I was in love, until I came back The next couple times we came back, the encased tomato cheese combo never occurred again :( The place is a bit pricey and on top of that, THEY DON'T HAVE BASIL! Wtf? I once called and asked for plain tomato, cheese, and basil, and their response was that they don't have basil. Seriously? Invest in fresh basil on your pizza and I'll be back. If you dare make an attempt to come during cruising grand expect a very long line.
(3)Nidia F.
I ordered their Super Torpedo Sandwich, loved it!! Good for two people. Service was fast and waitress was great. Took our order without a million questions. I'll be back for more!!! :)
(5)Kimberly S.
was pleasantly surprised with how good the good was. tables are really close together and its easy to feel claustrophobic in there. portions were good sized but wish the plate was just a little bigger so we dont make such a mess. thought it was odd that the garlic bread came with sauce on it. it wasnt bad but i would have preferred with out
(4)Rich S.
Not cheap but very good pizza! Local family favorite.
(4)MIKE D.
Guess what folks - Filippi's has Gluten free pizza and beer. A few months ago I tried it and it was not to good - crust was a little soft. I tried it again yesterday and it was outstanding - they figured out how to cook the crust. Best gluten free pizza I've ever had.
(5)V C.
Seriously overrated. I love cheese but the pizza is even too cheesy for me. Go here if you want a stomach ache. Get a sandwich instead.
(2)Cheryl D.
Food is decent and prices are reasonable, but they always have a problem with our order: Family special Ravioli in a separate container with sauce on the side (my kid does not like red sauce). How hard is it? Apparently pretty hard, because they still have not gotten it right. We will try again I am sure. For now, 3rd time was not a charm.
(2)Ashley E.
Growing up in Escondido, of course Filippi's is a part of my childhood. My husband and I both grew up eating their delicious pizza, and are loyal customers to this day. First of all, I went through a "pizza is sooo fattening, I'll take the veal parmigiana" phase in high school. While it was an uneducated and stupid phase, boy am I glad I went through it. The veal is tender and amazing. I have since recovered and regained pizza-eating status and can honestly say there is no better pizza in North County. The pepperoni is spicy, the cheese is thick and sticky, and the crust... ohhhh the crust! Golden brown and soft with the right amount of olive oily crunch. You MUST try Filippi's if you head to downtown Esco... if you don't like it, call me and I'll eat the rest of your pizza.
(5)Holly Y.
It's the best! 'Nuff said!
(5)Cindy W.
Came here with my department since 3 of our coworkers were all having a birthday that week. The place had character, not the cleanest or the newest thing I've seen but it was ok. I ordered the meatball pizza expecting more meatballs but that's ok, it was rather small. Though my boss ordered just the meatball, it was really big so I was expecting more out of my pizza. My pizza was very cheesy, so cheesy, I needed to pull it apart before eating. The food was ok, it's not the best pizza I've had. I'm always let down with the pizzas in San Diego anyway, I've accepted this. I've heard good things about the torpedo sandwich but I never had it myself. The service was slow but then again, it was lunch hour and it was busy. Splitting the bill blew because everyone just gave me cash and I paid with debit and the tip was already included but they still had a section requesting a tip. Hmmm, what do you do with that part? I felt like a jerk putting $0 since we already tipped her in the 18% that was already included.
(3)Alfredo R.
I Ordered a pizza callled the works !! Really good pizza !!! First time here and if im ever in escondido again I sure will eat here !!!
(5)Gretchen K.
I kept passing their location in Escondido many times and wondered if they were worth all the hype that they received. This past December, I finally gave their pizza a try. It was a Thursday night when my mom and I went to check the hours of A Delight of France cafe, only to discover that their hours had changed. Then we walked by Fillipi's and considered trying it since we kept passing it but had never eaten there yet. It was pretty crowded for a Thursday night with people calling in orders, waiting for a table at the restaurant , or trying to order pizza or other dishes on the spot. Mom and I ordered 2 medium pizzas, their pepperoni and special white pizza to go. The waitress wrote our order down then left another girl in charge of ringing us up while she ran to get the phone for some restaurant reservations. We waited 30-35 minutes and realized that thanks to the first girl who took our order, our take out order hadn't gone in. The chefs and clerks behind the register expressed horror and embarrassment and quickly promised to get our order made and ready in 20 minutes tops (since that was the fastest the head chef said he could make 2 pizzas without being raw). We waited and watched as other customers came in and picked up their orders. What I found interesting is there seemed to be a lot of loyal customers that some of the staff knew by name and struck up friendly conversations about how their lives were at the moment. Also if you call in an order and arrive to pick it up, they will open the bags and pizza boxes to show you that they got your order correct, which is good to know instead of discovering any mishaps once you get home. After 20 more minutes went by, our pizzas were ready and the staff apologized profusely about the mishap. Even though it was frustrating to wait for the pizza longer than the order was supposed to take, it was worth the wait. Their pizza crust is deep dish with fresh tomato sauce (it tastes like tomatoes!), 1-2 in thick layer of cheese, and whatever toppings you like sandwiched in between the cheese and crust. Mom thought they had a bit too much cheese on their pizza but aside from that, it was good pizza. We brought my dad here one night for the restaurant and ordered some pasta dishes. Both Mom and Dad got the Friday special Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti Bolognese and I got the spaghetti Bolognese. The portion sizes are very generous and definitely require a take home box, unless you happen to be one of those people who loves eating big portions at once. Service was fair that night but a bit slow since they were hosting several large parties and it was a Friday night. Aside from being very crowded and busy whenever we've gone, the food speaks for itself. I will definitely be returning here.
(4)Dave W.
Absolutely Outstanding!!!!. Loads of cheese, tons of toppings. Traditional Fillippis decor which I find charming and intimate. The server was great, we always had a full glass. I have been trying the different Fillippi's this summer and this place is near the top of the list. I have 3 or 4 more to visit before the tour is over and was quite impressed with everything.
(4)